Bury St Edmunds school Abbots Green Academy seeks to extend school day and October half-term break

A primary school is consulting parents on a proposal to extend the October half-term break to two weeks and add 10 minutes to the end of the school day to make up the time.

Abbots Green Academy on Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, has contacted parents and carers about the proposal that it says could hep tackle higher absence rates in the autumn term.

The school is proposing to adjust its term dates in autumn this year to add five days to the October half term. It provisionally plans to add 10 minutes to the end of each school day to ensure children receive as many lessons during the year as is currently the case.

A letter by headteacher Ang Morrison said: "Good health and wellbeing of staff and pupils is essential to the education of our pupils.

"The long Autumn Term, and emerging viruses at that time of year, seem to combine to create higher than usual absence rates, particularly in November.

"By adding five days to the October half term, we believe this will impact positively on the physical, emotional and mental health of our staff and pupils, and decrease absence during this term."

She also said an added benefit of this strategy is that it creates a second week, during which families can take a more affordable holiday.

An Abbots Green parent, who wished not to be named, said: "I know it's not an ideal situation, particularly for many working parents, however the autumn term is always a challenge health-wise for children, teachers and parents, so an extra week's rest might be beneficial to everyone.

"Also, with holidays during school breaks so expensive if there is an opportunity to take a cheaper family break without my daughter missing out on her education or risk a fine from the school then I am in favour of the change.

"An additional 10 minutes on the end of every school day would also be a help, meaning I would not have to rush so much to get from work to the school on time."

The letter from Abbots Green Academy said as part of a trust academies can set their own term dates and school day.

"Over the past few years, many academies have chosen to extend the October half term to two weeks," it said.

It also said adjusting the dates in the autumn term would support recruitment of the very best staff.

The school said it appreciates parents/carers may have additional need for childcare with this proposal and they would evaluate the need and the potential for holiday clubs, for example, to address this.

SuffolkNews is trying to find out whether this proposal to extend the October half-term break and the school day is being considered across schools in the Unity Schools Partnership, which Abbots Green is part of.