A SCHOOL is proposing closing earlier one day a week.

Bolton St Catherine’s Academy is consulting with parents to cut one school day a week by 50 minutes.

The plan could be piloted in the school’s secondary sector in the new academic year as part of plans to ‘improve the quality of teaching and learning and improve outcomes for our children’.

The school in Harwood is the latest to explore the option of reducing the school week.

Canon Slade School put forward the option earlier this year. But following feedback during the consultation with parents and other interested parties, the proposal was scrapped.

St Catherine's interim principal Richard Senior said:”As part of our ongoing plans to quickly improve the quality of teaching and learning and improve outcomes for our children as soon as possible, this proposal actually allows us to increase the amount of high quality teaching our students will experience, from the right staff at the right times.

“It also allows our staff to further hone their skills and techniques and keep abreast of all the changes and variations in the new curriculum, examination and assessment criteria being introduced by the government.”

Letters have been sent to parents. The school is proposing that secondary school pupils will leave at 2.10pm at the end of period five on a Wednesday. The library will be open until 3pm. The letter states: “Teachers will start a robust training and improvement programme, which will end around 4.30pm, giving them at least two hours training per week.

“Prior to final examinations, Year 11 revision sessions will also be introduced during this time.”

Senior leaders say that the model will also teachers to be in their classes more often instead of going out of school for training — as the number of lessons covered for training purposes only in 2015/16 was approximately 540 lesson, equivalent to 100 teaching days.

Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, Canon Slade School and St James’ CE High School will be partnering up under the Government’s flagship academy programme. St James’ CE High School has been implementing the model for some time, and it has been described as “successful”.

Under the changes, staff from both schools could meet for joint training.

nHAVE YOUR SAY: Email letters@theboltonnews.co.uk