School Day Proposal - Consultation

31st March 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

Re: Proposal to change the length of the school day from Tuesday 5th September 2023 - Consultation Letter

To ensure St Cuthbert’s is meeting the Department for Education’s expectations re: the length of the school teaching day and a child’s entitlement to 32.5 hours of teaching time per week (excluding lunchtime), I am writing to inform you of a proposed change to the structure of the school day at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School increasing the school teaching day by 30 minutes per day. This proposed change would take effect from Tuesday 5th September 2023.  

Currently under discussion with our school governors is the following:

  • To change the beginning of the school day to 8.45am for registration (school gates open at 8.30am)
  • To change the end of the school day from 3.00pm to 3.15pm

We believe that these changes will be beneficial to the school community, and will have a positive effect on your child’s education. Lengthening the school day will enable St Cuthbert’s to teach an extra two hours and 30 minutes extra curriculum time per week and bring our school in line with revised government expectations that primary school children should be taught for 32.5 hours per week.

The information in this letter has also been sent to the local authority and our neighbouring schools so that we can work together and ensure there is minimal disruption should we choose to go ahead with this proposal.

The consultation will run from 3 April 2023 to 3 May 2023. A consultation response form is available by request from the school.

We will share the outcome of the consultation and the decision of the school’s governing body in May 2023. 

If you wish to discuss any of the above further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes,

Mrs Anne Bullerwell

Headteacher

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School is part of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust

A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under company registration number No 7841435.

Registered Office: Fenham Hall Drive, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 9YH