Northumberland schools keep early closures

Posted by Simon Honeysett on Sep 18, 08 10:05 AM in Schools

EDUCATION watchdogs have decided not to interfere in how Northumberland schools handle their end-of- term arrangements - despite concerns being raised about sending pupils home early on the last day of term.

County councillors say it is up to individual headteachers and governors to decide what time youngsters are sent home when schools break up at the end of full and half-terms.

They have debated the issue after Conservative county councillor Richard Dodd voiced concerns over the widespread practice of schools closing at lunchtime on the last day of term.

He says there is little point in schools opening for just half a day before sending pupils home, and it brings virtually no educational benefits for the children concerned. In addition, he claims it causes problems for working parents in making transport and care arrangements for their children, and raises concerns over youngsters' safety.

Now schools across the county are to be given a reminder of their legal obligations to pupils, but will be left free to continue making their own end-of-term arrangements.

The decisions were taken by the council's family and children's services scrutiny committee yesterday after Coun Dodd raised the issue in a formal notice of motion.

He said: "Closing schools at lunchtime on the last day of term causes some turmoil for parents and transport operators, and is not good value for money for the council taxpayer.

"I am not trying to be a Scrooge about this, and all I am saying is that schools should either close for the whole day or open for the whole day.

"I hope my raising this results in some clarification of the issue and something being done. Sending children home at lunchtime is not good practice, and we could be found out one day if something goes terribly wrong."

Yesterday scrutiny committee chairman Coun Robert Arckless said: "We recognise there is an issue here for working parents and transport operators, but the general consensus of opinion is that this is not a huge problem.

"Heads and governors have considerable power over the operation of their schools and we don't support the county council being directive about this.

"We have agreed that the executive director of children's services will write to all schools to remind them of their legal obligations, but we want school partnerships to continue making their own decisions on this.

"We hope that when schools decide to close early on the last day of term, they give parents due notice of what is happening.

"Every school has its own traditions, such as holding a Christmas carol service then closing down at lunchtime, and I would not like the council to interfere with that."

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