Academy trust proposes half-day Fridays

Opponents said the changes would impact working families

An academy trust is considering finishing early on a Friday to allow teachers more time to plan for lessons.

Harbour Learning Trust, which runs schools in Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Lincoln, has sent a letter to parents and carers asking for their views on the proposals, which include a formal finish time of 12:45 BST on Fridays.

The changes would also see primary schools start 15 minutes earlier, with lunch breaks reduced from an hour to 45 minutes, with a finish time of 14:45 Monday to Thursday.

Opponents said the changes would impact working families and mean less classroom time for pupils.

According to the letter, seen by the BBC, teachers currently spend one afternoon a week away from class to plan lessons.

During these times, pupils are taught by other school staff, or external sports coaches.

By introducing the revised timetable, pupils would only be taught by a fully qualified teacher in their lessons, it stated.

Activities would also run until 14:45 BST on a Friday, but would not be part of the formal school day.

As for a proposed reduction to the hour-long lunch break, the letter stated that this was often a time when pupils "make poor behaviour decisions".

By cutting it to 45 minutes, there would be less opportunity to "get it wrong", it said.

'Make more progress'

The trust's chief executive officer Richard Briggs said: "This is a genuine consultation and we are seeking the views of our parents on these planned changes.

"If these proposals go ahead, our pupils will spend all of their time in school in front of a fully qualified teacher, which means they will make more progress and increase their life chances.

"We understand that some parents may have childcare concerns, which is why we have started this consultation early and will make final decisions early in June to allow parents nearly three months to make alternative arrangements if necessary."

Parent Joe Barker has criticised the proposals

However, parent Joe Barker, who is campaigning against the plans, told the BBC: "One of the big gripes parents have is more households than ever have two working parents - with the motto at the moment to 'get Britain working again'.

"One of the arguments they have is this will create more family time. It won't because it will force parents to alter their working patterns and either make the time up elsewhere, or take a financial hit," he added.

Under the plans, Mr Barker said each child would have considerably less learning time and miss out on "play time", which he said was an "absolutely essential part" of a child's learning.

"They are dressing it up as a benefit to the children - when there is no real benefit," he said.

'Shocking idea'

Others shared similar views on social media.

One parent wrote: "I have already discussed with my daughter about potentially moving schools as both myself and her dad work full time."

Another said: "Absolutely shocking idea. Reduced dinner times, kids will be rushed to eat. They don't get long enough as it is."

Harbour Learning Trust consists of eight academies:

• Healing Academy, Healing, Grimsby

• Ermine Primary Academy, Lincoln

• Hartsholme Academy, Lincoln

• Great Coates Primary School, Grimsby

• Healing Primary Academy, Healing, Grimsby

• William Barcroft Junior School, Cleethorpes

• St Giles Academy, Healing, Grimsby

• Woodlands Academy, Grimsby

The trust's secondary school, Healing Academy, is not affected by the proposals, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A consultation runs until 2 June, and any changes would only come in at the start of the 2025/26 academic year.

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