North Ayrshire Council may examine four-day school week

The council may also consider starting primary education a year later, at the age of six

A Scottish council has confirmed it may consider introducing a four-day week in its primary and secondary schools to cope with planned funding cuts.

North Ayrshire Council said it was one of a number of future options being considered.

If implemented it could save the council more than £2m. But unions have said the move would cause chaos for working parents.

The council last week approved a 2011-12 budget which included cuts of £8.9m.

The local authority aims to bridge a £38m funding gap by 2014.

The idea is said to be one of a wide range of early options which may be considered by North Ayrshire Council over the coming years.

The Labour-led council may also consider starting primary education a year later, when pupils are six-years-old, although no decisions have been taken on the proposals.

Carol Kirk, the council's education director, said any plans to alter the current system would be "fully investigated and discussed".

"The option for children to start primary school at age six has been widely discussed by education professionals across the UK for several years now and is already in operation in many other European countries," she said.

"The option to deliver the statutory 25 hours of education per week over four rather than five days is also being explored by other local authorities in Scotland."