Greenacre primary school headteacher Bill Holledge

Let us know your views as Great Yarmouth parents express fears over 9am to 6pm school day

By stephen pullinger
Friday, June 15, 2012
6:30 AM

A Great Yarmouth school has divided parents over its decision to become an academy and introduce a controversial new timetable that will see some children staying as late as 6pm.

Parents at Greenacre Primary School were informed by letter on Wednesday that, following public consultation, governors had decided to pursue the academy route from September.

Headteacher Bill Holledge, 33, said most parents had been reassured about the changes, but one father who contacted the EDP said he had lodged a protest petition to the governors with more than 110 signatures obtained from other parents and local people.

Builder Tony Blencowe said he is considering withdrawing his son Jack, six, concerned by the long school day which will stop him continuing his karate classes.

The Dickens Road school will herald in the new era by changing its name to Great Yarmouth Primary Academy and adopting the vision statement, ‘Changing lives through excellence’.

Mr Holledge who has overseen a dramatic improvement in academic standards, bringing the school out of special measures, revealed that under the new regime, the school day for pupils in years five and six would end at 6pm.

At the end of standard lessons at 3.30pm, those youngsters would be given a school-supplied snack and drink.

Then from 3.45pm to 5pm they would be offered a high-quality, free programme of extra-curricular activities, ranging from sport and dancing to IT and horse-riding; from 5pm to 6pm they would be doing homework and reading in school, freeing them from the need to do it at home.

After October half-term, the plan is for youngsters in years three and four to join in the extra-curricular programme.

The school is being sponsored by insurance company boss Theodore Agnew, who lives locally and also sponsors the David Copperfield Saturday school in the town, which provides youngsters with extra help in maths and English at a low cost.

Mr Agnew, who is funding new school uniform sweatshirts, will be chairman of a board of trustees which will set the strategic direction of the school.

He, in consultation with the other trustees, who include Norwich’s Ormiston Victory Academy principal Rachel de Souza, was responsible for the new name.

Mr Holledge said some parents had raised initial concerns about the academy plan and longer school day, but most had been reassured when he talked to them, and the response to the consultation had been “generally positive”.

He said: “Some parents thought the children would just be doing more of the same, and were not aware of the extra-curriculum activities, and that they would be free.”

Mr Holledge said he and the governors had been keen on becoming an academy because of the extra freedoms and resources it would bring. He sees it as building on the school’s progress which has already been commended by Ofsted.

6 comments

.....6 hours is enough for ks2 kids.....Perhaps 5 hours would suit KS2 teachers social life better?

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popeye

Monday, June 18, 2012
I think this is madness. KS2 kids have enough pressure put on them as it is. 9 hours at school is more than most people do at work. If any school kids should do 9 hours they should start it at Secondary schools. Then look at how long the teachers will have to work, alot take work home now if they worked till 6 when will they get chance to have a social life. Also in the winter look how dark it is at night and alot of kids walk home from school. 6 hours is enough for ks2 kids.

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pa012d9924

Monday, June 18, 2012
How pleasing to read the three comments above and that each of the writers used the word children and not the slovenly disrespectful term kids, the young of goats. That is cool, oh no, neither chill out for relax.

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Paul Platten

Monday, June 18, 2012
.....ALL parents must be allowed thier say on the schooling of thier children!!! ....Completely disagree. What a silly idea, you will be advocating that the schools should be run by parents next. Imagine the chaos at each weekly parents meeting.

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popeye

Saturday, June 16, 2012
I agree it does look good in theory and getting the young children to do their homework at school where thay MAY have teachers to ask if they have questions (maybe just classroom assistants though) sounds good. BUT what if there are older children in the family and routines have been worked for tea at 5 or 5.30pm so they can do things like Scouts, cubs, Brownies etc. This schooling until 6pm will mean routines will have to be changed. I think all parents should be given a chance to voice their opinion and vote for this or as I think many will do, against it.

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Christopher Neave

Friday, June 15, 2012
this all looks good in theory and perhaps on paper,i can see it would be great for the school (sorry academy) it makes sure homework is done by offering bribes of horseriding etc etc keeps small children from the dreaded tv games etc and also makes sure the school gets a good ofstead report?? but what of the children whos parents have to work an evening shift to make ends meet does this mean they have to come home to half a family life?, also if this school wishes to keep children to this time are they going to supply a hot lunch for those who only have sandwiches and rely on thier hot meal at home. and as for being a sponser and then being made the top man on the committee just doesnt seem to be right. i think this needs a bit more thinking about as ALL parents must be allowed thier say on the schooling of thier children!!!

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stephen watson

Friday, June 15, 2012

Let us know your views as Great Yarmouth parents express fears over 9am to 6pm school day

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