A four-and-a-half day week for Angus secondary school youngsters remains a hot potato after the planned changes split education councillors.
Proposals which would see an early Friday finish brought in from August 2017 were narrowly approved at an education committee meeting in Forfar – but the plans will receive another airing before a final decision is taken after one opponent gave notice that he will be referring the matter to a meeting of the full council in mid-June.
The recommendation to apply a 33-period week with a school day ending at 3.55pm Monday to Thursday and then 12.35pm on Fridays emerged from an extensive consultation which delivered responses from more than 3,000 pupils, parents and staff.
But officials have admitted it will also come at an additional financial cost of some £370,000 a year to lay on extra transport because school buses will have to make double journeys for primary and secondary children, particularly in the Forfar, Brechin and Kirriemuir catchment areas.
Children and learning strategic director Margo Williamson stressed to committee members the importance of making a decision as soon as possible to allow schools to properly plan their timetabling beyond August 2017.
The changes would see current form time replaced with a much shorter check-in period to accommodate the new timetable structure.
“If we don’t make a decision we could be ignoring young people’s voices when they have said that two-and-a-half hours of form time is not good learning time for them.
“Fundamental for me is that the young people have spoken and we need to listen to what they say,” she added.
Children and learning convener Sheena Welsh said: “Change for people is always difficult and it is often easier just to drift along – but we can’t let that happen here.
“Overall it has been demonstrated that pupils, parents and staff favour change.
“There is a a financial implication, but we can work on that and there will be ways round it, I’m sure.
“The four-and-a-half day week hits all the targets and if we don’t accept this then I think we will be doing our young people a great disservice.”
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather led opposition to the change by presenting an amendment supporting the status quo.
“My grave fear is that we have got to find £370,000 – where is that going to come from and is it going to affect our schools?” he said.
“50% of parents were against this and it’s parents who matter as well as pupils.”
Kirriemuir councillor Ronnie Proctor added: “£370,000 could probably finance eight principal teachers or 16 probationers. That money has got to come from somewhere and I do feel that something else is going to lose out.”
The convener’s motion favouring the switch was carried by eight votes to six, but Cllr Fairweather gave immediate notice of the referral to full council for consideration by all elected members.
