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| Leicestershire school plans early finish on Fridays due to cuts | Leicestershire school plans early finish on Fridays due to cuts |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A school in Leicestershire is proposing to operate on a four-and-a-half-day week due to budget cuts, confirming warnings from unions that changes to the schools funding formula would lead to schools closing early. | |
| In a letter to parents, Danemill primary school in Enderby cited the controversial formula as a reason for its decision to end the school week at lunchtime on Fridays from October. | In a letter to parents, Danemill primary school in Enderby cited the controversial formula as a reason for its decision to end the school week at lunchtime on Fridays from October. |
| The letter from the school’s headteacher, Dawn White, which was published by the Leicester Mercury said: “As you may be aware the fairer funding formula has resulted in schools receiving significantly less money in their annual budgets from the government and Danemill is not an exception.” | The letter from the school’s headteacher, Dawn White, which was published by the Leicester Mercury said: “As you may be aware the fairer funding formula has resulted in schools receiving significantly less money in their annual budgets from the government and Danemill is not an exception.” |
| To cope in the “current economic climate” it proposed early closing on Fridays. It says: “Effective from October 24 2017 the school day would end on Friday afternoons at 1.05pm.” It argued this would help maintain quality teaching and give teachers time to prepare lessons. | To cope in the “current economic climate” it proposed early closing on Fridays. It says: “Effective from October 24 2017 the school day would end on Friday afternoons at 1.05pm.” It argued this would help maintain quality teaching and give teachers time to prepare lessons. |
| The Department for Education said it was unfair of the school to link the proposed early closure to the new funding formula as it had not yet been implemented. | The Department for Education said it was unfair of the school to link the proposed early closure to the new funding formula as it had not yet been implemented. |
| A spokesman said: “The national funding formula cited in the headteacher’s letter hasn’t even been implemented, the second phase of the consultation has only just finished. No decision has been made on the fairer funding formula and probably won’t be by October 2017.” | A spokesman said: “The national funding formula cited in the headteacher’s letter hasn’t even been implemented, the second phase of the consultation has only just finished. No decision has been made on the fairer funding formula and probably won’t be by October 2017.” |
| Parents have reacted with dismay, according to the Mercury. One unnamed father told the paper: “This is in the middle of the working day. Lots of parents have to work to make ends meet. It is unworkable madness.” | Parents have reacted with dismay, according to the Mercury. One unnamed father told the paper: “This is in the middle of the working day. Lots of parents have to work to make ends meet. It is unworkable madness.” |
| The school has proposed a limited number of “enrichment activities” on Friday afternoons for some children. The proposal follows warnings by teaching unions that schools would be forced to consider early closing because of a squeeze on resources. | The school has proposed a limited number of “enrichment activities” on Friday afternoons for some children. The proposal follows warnings by teaching unions that schools would be forced to consider early closing because of a squeeze on resources. |
| Tim Stone, the chief executive of the Discovery Schools Academy Trust which runs Danemill, said the proposal to close early on Fridays was being put out to consultation with parents. | Tim Stone, the chief executive of the Discovery Schools Academy Trust which runs Danemill, said the proposal to close early on Fridays was being put out to consultation with parents. |
| He said: “There are a number of schools nationally who have run this model successfully for both children and families and as a trust we encourage schools to explore new initiatives that they feel will bring the most benefit to children’s learning. We will be collecting feedback from parents up until 10t July to allow parents the opportunity to share their views.” | |
| Last week another school, Westwood primary in March, Cambridgeshire, also proposed lunchtime closing on Fridays in the next academic year. | Last week another school, Westwood primary in March, Cambridgeshire, also proposed lunchtime closing on Fridays in the next academic year. |
| In March, Malcolm Trobe, the interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said some headteachers were talking about reducing the weekly teaching hours. | In March, Malcolm Trobe, the interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said some headteachers were talking about reducing the weekly teaching hours. |
| He said: “What I have heard a number of people talking about is that they are considering reducing the number of lessons in a week, for example, if they currently have 25 one-hour sessions a week, going down to 23; having shorter sessions on a Wednesday or Friday. They are doing it because they haven’t got enough teaching time to keep the full whack going.” | He said: “What I have heard a number of people talking about is that they are considering reducing the number of lessons in a week, for example, if they currently have 25 one-hour sessions a week, going down to 23; having shorter sessions on a Wednesday or Friday. They are doing it because they haven’t got enough teaching time to keep the full whack going.” |
| Earlier this month Kevin Courtney, the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said schools were already closing early due to cuts. But in a letter to the Guardian he did not identify which schools or how many. | Earlier this month Kevin Courtney, the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said schools were already closing early due to cuts. But in a letter to the Guardian he did not identify which schools or how many. |
| He wrote: “Many schools are being forced to close early, class sizes are increasing and subjects being dropped from the curriculum. All this to balance the books. Schools are not crying wolf, they really do not have the money to provide the education children and young people deserve.” | He wrote: “Many schools are being forced to close early, class sizes are increasing and subjects being dropped from the curriculum. All this to balance the books. Schools are not crying wolf, they really do not have the money to provide the education children and young people deserve.” |