Suffolk: Anger at Unity Schools half term extension plans

The Unity Schools Partnership (USP), which is in charge of 32 schools in Suffolk and one in Essex, is adding five days to the October half term while extending the school day by 10 minutes.

The decision will affect 13,870 pupils across Suffolk and 14,407 across the Trust as a whole.

A USP spokesman said they believed the move would "impact positively on the physical, emotional and mental health of our staff and pupils."

They added that they hoped it would decrease absence rates during the autumn term, as families will be able to take more affordable holidays.

Having held a consultation with parents and carers which ended in mid-March, USP chief executive Tim Coulson said they received more than 2,300 responses, with a "majority amongst both staff and parents in favour of the proposals."

However, swathes of angry parents have now signed a petition opposing the decision, saying a poll was taken of 500 Haverhill parents with an overwhelming 82% slamming the changes.

Diana André runs a preschool in Haverhill and said the changes will impact her teenage child. (Image: Diana André)

Diana André said the proposals are "just a nightmare" as she has a teenager at Castle Manor and runs a preschool in Haverhill with many of the staff who also have children in the Trust.

"I fail to see how the Trust is listening or supporting working families with this proposal," she said.

"At the preschool, we are not in the same position to be able to close for an extra week in October.

"This leaves a problem for our staff team who will now have to find and pay for a week of childcare."

Mrs André added that in her consultation response, she pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic taught us that children often learn best in school.

"Many children are still catching up," she said.

"10 minutes added on to the day will not make up for a week at home."

Stephen Husband, who started the petition, has children at a Haverhill primary school and younger children in nursery. (Image: Stephen Husband)

Stephen Husband, who started the petition, has children at a Haverhill primary school and younger children in nursery.

He said that the later finish will have a roll-on effect to nursery, meaning he will have to pay for an extra 30 minutes day - an extra £1,700 per year.

Another working parent, Emma Rogers, echoed these concerns by saying she is worried that, from July to January, children will now have 10 weeks off school.

Concerned parent Emma Rogers pointed out that arranging childcare is already difficult for many families. (Image: Emma Rogers)

She added: "This places a financial burden on an already strained situation for families in relation to childcare.

"Lots of children are still suffering the effects of lost education over the pandemic too."

READ MORE: Suffolk high school announces plans to extend school day

Fellow school parent Fae Church also raised concerns surrounding how much school her daughter would be missing, saying: "She has already missed almost two weeks of school this year due to strike days, inset days and school closures due to weather or site maintenance.

Fae Church raised concerns surrounding how much school her daughter would be missing. (Image: Fae Church)

"To then propose that they need an extra week off is just infuriating."

Ms Church added that the Unity School Partnership had "clearly made their own decision" on the proposal and said the supposed benefits of the scheme were "condescending".

Acknowledging that the petition had been started, Trust chief executive Mr Coulson said: "We feel it is important to extend the October half-term as a pilot scheme in the first instance, so it gives the trust and our schools a chance to see if this proposal works in practice."