Consultations

This consultation is now closed and the results can be found below.

 

Tarporley CE Primary School – Consultation on changing the closing time of the last day of term.

Consultation – 26th October 2023 – 23rd  November 2023

Proposed Introduction – 21st December 2023
 

 

The school is considering an alteration to the timing of the school day on the last day of each term. As part of this process, we would like to canvas opinion from the chief stakeholders – staff, students and parents/carers.

Below are the proposed alterations as well as the reasoning for the change and associated issues that have so far been identified.

Proposal:

·       To end the school day at 1.30pm three times a year on the last day of each term.

Why change the school day from its current format?

  • To have a school day that aligns with Tarporley High School at the end of term allowing families more flexibility for travel arrangements. Currently 37.5% of our school families have siblings at Tarporley High School.
  • To enable teachers to carry out essential end of term tasks at a reasonable time.
  • To reduce the number of absences seen on the last day of each term.
  • To encourage children to attend the last day of term.

Current issues

  • Many families request an early finish on the last day of term.
  • Tarporley High School finishes at 1.30pm on the last day of each term.
  • The last day of each term sees a large percentage of children being collected early by parents due to travel arrangements.
  • We are currently over the statutory length (32.5hrs) of a school week by 25 mins per week which equates to 15 hrs and 50 mins in a school year. By introducing a 1.30 finish time three times a year this would be reduced by 5 hrs and 30mins meaning as a school we are still over by 10 hrs and 20 mins in a school year.

Advantages of changing the end of the school day at the end of each term

  • On the last day of each term the children would be dismissed from school at 1.30pm allowing families the opportunity to bring travel arrangements forward and reducing the number of unauthorised absence on these days.
  • The children are often exhausted at the end of the school term and sometimes children are kept at home. Parents may be more willing to send their child in for a half day when they are so tired.
  • Teachers would be able to carry out essential end of term tasks in the afternoon allowing them to leave school at a more reasonable time on the last day of term.

Disadvantages of changing the end of the school day at the end of each term

·       Impact on parents who require afterschool care – For families who normally use the Treehouse afterschool club on the last day of term this session will be extended and will start at 1.30pm.

 

*If adopted this change would be actioned from the end of the autumn term 21st December 2023.

Comments in writing can be made to:

Mr Chris Fry              /   Mrs Kerry Forrester

Chair of Governors  /  Headteacher

 

Tarporley CE Primary School

Park Rd

Tarporley

CW6 0AN

chair@tarporleyce.cheshire.sch.uk / head@tarporleyce.cheshire.sch.uk

Comments Received on End of School Day Consultation

The following comments have been received by parents regarding the consultation to end the school day at 1.30pm on the last day of each term. 

1.    Dear Mrs Forrester and Mr Fry, In response to your consultation I would fully endorse changing the time at the end of each term to 1.30pm for the reasons outlined in your proposal.
2.    Good evening, I truly believe a half day on the last day of term would be beneficial for all concerned. 
My children are certainly tired by the time half term comes round plus it makes it special to be allowed to finish school early. 
3.    We’re supportive and understand the rationale.
4.    It’s a yes from me to finish early at the end of term! Have a lovely half term, hope you get some rest! God bless.
5.    Just looked at the survey the high school finish at 2pm not 1.30 and there was no comment box so thought I'd email you , I would support a 2pm finish .
6.    Dear Mr Chris Fry,
The school has pointed to your email to receive comments about the new proposal to end the school year earlier at the end of term. Apologies for writing, however I have been unable to gain access to the survey. I have to admit I am very divided by the suggestion, I do not find the statistic of 37.5 percent of children having siblings in Tarporley high school useful,  this tells me that the majority of the school (62.5 percent) do not. The school has not demonstrated with this statistic it is thinking about the majority of students and families.
I would also ask, has analysis shown the drop in attendance on last days to be amongst this cohort?  No data has been given for this, the argument would be better supported with the data. We do not have two children, but actually have family in Cheshire East, if I'd been asked, I would have loved to align with their holidays so that our daughter can spend time with her cousins.  I understand this is difficult though. I also do not believe that this will encourage higher attendance rates, I suspect they will stay the same, time will tell.
The school are prepared to extend the treehouse facilities for those of us who need it (we do).  However, I can only assume this will be of extra cost to the parents and therefore be a disadvantage financially.  I question how our daughter will feel 'having' to spend extra time in tree house, she doesn't wish to attend on occasion and wishes she was like the other boys and girls getting picked up at the end of school from her classroom. I will certainly feel pressure to pick her up as early as possible which is difficult whilst working full time. Finally, as an aside, I would hope the school will stagger the end time with the secondary school as I imagine significant traffic issues within Tarporley if both schools end at the same time.



Files to Download

Consultation Results - End of School Day 2023.pdf

Tarporley CE Primary, Park Road, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0AN

Tel: 01829 708188 | Email: admin@tarporleyce.cheshire.sch.uk

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