A school in the district has announced plans to finish lessons soon after lunchtime on Fridays.

University Academy Keighley, in Green Head Road, Utley, Keighley, has launched a consultation among parents about students finishing on Fridays at 1.15pm from September next year.

Instead of their usual sixth lesson of the day, they would be able to spend the afternoon on extra-curricular activities such as school-based clubs and teams, or go on visits and trips organised with outside organisations.

UAK bosses say the new system would raise standards at the school, which converted to academy status in September 2010.

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They have described the proposed change as “relatively minor.”

And they added that it would mirror arrangements at UAK’s successful partner school, Carlton Bolling in Undercliffe Lane, Bradford.

If both schools were to finish earlier on a Friday, it would create an opportunity for "joint training sessions" for staff at Carlton Bolling and UAK.

Adrian Kneeshaw, chief executive of the Carlton Academy Trust, said: “Currently UAK has six 50-minute lessons from Monday to Friday.

"The plan is for Monday to Thursday to stay exactly as now, with Friday dropping a single lesson to five on Friday.

“The main advantage of the change is that it will offer enhanced opportunities to run extended curriculum activities for students."

Mr Kneeshaw went on to explain the advantages to making the change.

He said: “Through these experiences our students will develop greater social capital, which will give them increased confidence and motivation to pursue ambitious life goals.

“This type of provision follows the system found in universities throughout the country, where one afternoon per week is devoted to extended curriculum provision.

"Although worthwhile on their own merit, these changes are also in line with the new Ofsted school inspection framework which looks at the extended curriculum offer in some detail.

“A secondary, yet important consideration is that it allows greater opportunities for staff development opportunities across both schools.

"With both enjoying earlier finishes on Friday, this provides greater time to hold joint training sessions at a time when staff are fresher and not suffering the negative effects of a longer working day.

“We have seen how this has raised standards at Carlton Bolling, and I am sure this will achieve the same at UAK.”

The consultation, amongst all UAK stakeholders, will close on Friday, November 1 at noon.

Similar plans have not always proved popular when proposed at other schools.

In 2018, there were “differences of opinion” over controversial plans for Queensbury Academy to finish at lunchtime on a Friday.

The plan, which was put on hold amid opposition, was to lengthen the school day from Monday to Thursday to accommodate an early finish at the end of the week.

Following the Telegraph & Argus’s initial story on the proposed changes at Queensbury, a reader poll online found that 36 per cent of people were in favour of the plans, while 64 per cent were not, with the proposal sparking a debate among readers.