Cash-strapped Stockport primary school cuts Friday classes
- Published
The school said it had reached the 'best solution' to ensure pupils' education was not affected
A primary school plans to close at lunch on Fridays because it cannot afford to pay staff for a full week.
Stockport's Vale View Primary School said its running costs were "unsustainable" and closing early would save £100,000 and minimise job cuts.
Longer school days are planned for the rest of the week to maintain pupils' education, it added.
Parents said they would lose income or be forced to pay for extra childcare if the school closes early each week.
Parents like Amanda Baxter say they will lose earnings to care for children on Friday afternoons
Single mum Amanda Baxter said she had already cut working hours because the school's morning and afternoon clubs had increased prices and was relying on her parents to collect son Zac two days a week.
"I can't go to my work again and say 'I have to change hours because the school has changed'," she said.
"No company will be okay with every parent being off on a Friday afternoon just because the school isn't in."
'Causing concern'
A letter sent by governors to parents said ten minutes would be added to the start and finish of the school day from Monday to Thursday.
Parents were offered childcare in the form of a club between the new closing time and current 15:15 GMT closing time at a cost of £3.50 a day.
In a statement, head teacher Helen Hannah said: "Whilst we appreciate the early closure on Fridays may cause parents concern, the decision to do so has been taken after much careful consideration."
The school also stated that a comparable Manchester primary school received an extra £350,000 a year in funding.
A second letter from school governors on 11 February said some support staff would be made redundant.
It added it had saved £393,500 from its annual budget by cutting staff and resources since January 2017.
Vale View opened in September 2011 following the amalgamation of four schools in North Reddish.