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Trust's plans to shorten Girton school's year divides parents

John Fairhall/BBC Michael BiggJohn Fairhall/BBC
Michael Bigg said he has no criticisms of the school, but that getting information out of the the trust, which runs it, was like getting "blood out of stone"

Plans to shorten a primary school year by six days have divided parents.

Girton Glebe School, in Girton, Cambridgeshire, is to trial a three-week Christmas holiday, cutting the time children spend in the classroom.

Father-of-three Michael Bigg, 42, said trying to find out why "was like getting blood out of stone".

School trust the Eastern Learning Alliance said the trial would enable it to enhance its extra-curricular clubs and visits and small group tuition.

John Fairhall/BBC Once the scheme is introduced, pupils will spend 184 days at schoolJohn Fairhall/BBC
An academy spokeswoman said: "The contracted teacher time will be redirected across the course of the whole academic year to student-facing sessions"

It plans to trial the scheme at two of its other schools, Impington Village College, Cambridgeshire, and Downham Market Academy, Norfolk.

Mr Bigg, whose sons attend Girton Glebe, criticised the way the trust had informed parents, saying, "we've been trying to engage with the Eastern Learning Alliance for more than a month now".

"We got a letter which is full of educational jargon, isn't actually clear what change they're making, doesn't really explain why they're making it, doesn't even acknowledge that there might be problems for some parents," he added.

"I spoke to one parent... and when she realised what it meant, she cried because she's going to have to find child care for another week of the year when time's are tough."

John Fairhall/BBC James WhittleJohn Fairhall/BBC
James Whittle said he and his wife would need to find more childcare to cover the extra holiday
John Fairhall/BBC Letters from trust about shortening school year, Girton Glebe Primary SchoolJohn Fairhall/BBC
He also criticised the trust for using educational jargon such as "disaggregated days" (when teachers have to attend school without pupils)

James Whittle, 48, whose two daughters are at the same school, said he had not realised how much "autonomy an academy actually has".

"Where's the oversight and where's the governance? I don't see the checks and balances," he said.

Academies like the Eastern Learning Alliance are directly funded by government, instead of the local authority.

They have to follow the same curriculum as all state schools, but chose what to teach, how to spend their budget, and how long their terms are.

Google Downham Market AcademyGoogle
The longer Christmas holiday will also be trialled at Downham Market School in Norfolk

A trust spokeswoman said it had had a "wide range of very positive feedback from parents regarding our approach" and it was "confident this approach will allow us to secure and enhance that provision next year".

She added: "These changes mean that the equivalent of five school days of contracted teacher time will be redirected across all 38 weeks of the academic year to secure and enhance our programmes of extra-curricular clubs, trips and visits, as well as 1:1 and small group academic tuition."

It confirmed pupils will be in school for 184 days. The government states schools must meet for at least 380 sessions or 190 days in any school year.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "Academies are responsible for determining the length of their school year and their term dates. However, it is vital that pupils do not lose time in school that will support them to achieve their full potential."

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