I am confused? Can someone please enlighten me.

[Starlight21]

If children have to do legally do a certain amount of days in school in each academic year, and a set of hours each day. Why are there so many discussions going around to shortening the school week to reduce costs due to budget cuts? Am I missing something here?

I would love to only say for argument sake have 30 minutes dinner each day and finish every Friday dinnertime but it wouldn't save money?
Then there is the question of fulfilling the legal requirement of hours / days?
Can someone please explain 🤔

There is no money to keep the school open longer - can't afford to staff/heat/supervise. It means that the children's' entitlement is cut.

Most schools round here only get 30 min lunch now.

Academies don't have to teach a set number of days. Around here state non academy schools do 193 day but I am sure the min number of days is less.

There is no legal entitlement for a certain number of hours per day but the students have to be in for morning and afternoon registration.

I guess the idea is that if the school is open to pupils from 9-3 and for staff until 7-6 then the building is lit, heated someone in the office, someone has unlocked it etc. Pupils have to attended for 25 hours a week. How you fit those 25 hours in is up to the school.
I'm guessing that if the school closes at lunch time on a Friday then they don't need to pay for the lights, heating, office staff caretaker etc.

a) I think the requirement is for a certain number of sessions, not a certain number of hours. So they could take registration after lunch on Friday, then call the session over and legally fulfilled the rules (I think)

b) I don't think it will save much money. Still have to pay teachers and TAs the same. I think they're just doing to make a point.

c) Edinburgh schools already close on Friday lunch time.

d) If they make all teachers PPA time Friday afternoon then they can save on employing people to cover PPA......

d) some savings on heating etc.

Thanks for people's responses. I work in a primary academy and different people are quite right. 190 days is what the government say so 380 sessions but not hours just sessions so basically you could register them for the afternoon session everyday and send them home.

It would save money. If children were sent home on a Friday lunchtime, teachers could have their PPA in the afternoon without the need to pay for PPA cover. Many schools use a teacher for PPA cover, if there are 10 teachers in a school, that is 1 full time teacher to cover PPA. That's quite a big saving. A school would also have less need for TAs/office staff on this afternoon so saving gas could be made there. I don't think this is something schools want to do, but savings have to be made somehow.

If pupils have to do a set number...how does that work with schools that shut for polling?

It's the same if we have to close for snow or heating failure etc. I guess that year is only 188 days or whatever instead of 190.

In some parts of the US I believe they have to make up any days lost by taking them out of the start of the summer holidays.

We tried to shorten our lunch to 45 minutes but had to get agreement from parents. As a lot of our kids go home for lunch the parents wouldn't agree to it.

As you said, there's no requirement to do a certain number of hours. I can see 4.5 day weeks coming in soon to be honest.

Some authorities in Scotland are giving Friday afternoon off so that they don't have to employ staff to cover McCrone. Not sure how that works as afternoon is usually one and three quarter hours and McCrone is two and a half.