Teaching union welcomes plan to scrap four-and-a-half day week in Dumfries and Galloway schools

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The country’s largest teaching union this week welcomed the move to scrap plans for a four-and-a-half day week in Dumfries and Galloway secondary schools.

Leaders at EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland) insisted that there were “too many unanswered questions” and uncertainty around the controversial proposals.

Dumfries and Galloway councillors will almost certainly vote to stick with current school timetable arrangements when they discuss the matter at the council’s education committee this Friday.

Education chiefs were inundated with opinions in their formal consultation process, with thousands of parents/carers stating their opposition to timetable changes, mainly due to complications it would cause with childcare arrangements and employment.

Andrew O’Halloran, secretary of the Dumfries and Galloway branch of the EIS, said: “The EIS welcomes the recommendation to shelve the proposed asymmetric week in Dumfries and Galloway.

“There were too many unanswered questions for the proposals to have been rolled out across the authority.

“The council were unable to provide us with clarity about the impact of the proposals on primary pupils and those living in rural areas, as well as online delivery and teachers’ terms and conditions of service.”

Meanwhile, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “The more questions parents and teachers asked about the proposals for a four and half day school week, the more it became clear that there weren’t answers to even basic concerns.

“Whether it was transport, or the educational impact on primary pupils of a longer school day, the plans hadn’t been thought through.

“I hope we see attention turned to the attainment challenges our schools face and reversing the cuts in subject choice too many students face across our region within the current five day week.”

The four-and-a-half day week would have meant condensed learning hours throughout the week and closing school early on Fridays. The intention was that this would bring various benefits, including a better work/life balance for both pupils and staff.

Opinions were sought from parents, staff, trade unions, and the wider community on the proposals – and there were a record 15,409 responses to the consultation.

The summary of responses to the four-and-a-half day week plans were:

• Agree/strongly agree with the proposal – 6,690 (43 per cent).

• Disagree/strongly disagree with the proposal – 5,785 (38 per cent).

• Neutral/don’t know on the proposal – 2,934 (19 per cent).

The report continues: “Although 43 per cent of survey respondents expressed agreement with the proposal to implement the four and a half day week model for all primary and secondary schools in Dumfries and Galloway, a clear majority view has not been established from the full range of feedback.

“Moreover, a considerable number of stakeholders remain neutral or undecided.

“Furthermore, it is notable, from the findings from the full range of methodologies used, that the strength of feeling among those opposed to the proposals was often greater than the strength of feeling of those in favour of the proposals.”

At Friday’s education committee, a report will be tabled by council officers detailing the views shared and recommending that councillors maintain the current school timetable.

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