School drops plans for early Friday closure

Ashby Fields Primary School, Daventry, was consulting on plans to shut at 1.15pm on Fridays, suggesting that a four-and-a-half day week would give staff more time to develop an "exciting curriculum" for students and help stop teacher "burnout".

A meeting on the proposals was held last week, and a consultation was originally expected to run until Friday May 4.

The statement, from headteacher Jacqui Johnson and chair of governors Paul Davies, says: "Following the consultation meeting with parents on Wednesday 25th April, the governors of Ashby Fields Primary School met with the senior leadership team to review the feedback from the meeting as well as other comments from parents received via email and letters.

"Although some parents supported the intentions behind the proposal, others raised concerns about the impact it would have on them.

"As a result, the governors and senior leaders have decided not to pursue the proposal beyond this informal consultation stage."

A letter to parents that originally outlined the proposals, said that the "huge workload" faced by teachers means that they work 60 hours a week on average and that many, despite their love of teaching, cannot manage the workload and keep a work/life balance and end up resigning.

The document went on to say: "We can offer our teachers more time out of the classroom to be able to collaborate with their peers and develop the exciting curriculum we want our children to receive, without 'burning out'."