Falkirk Council: Mum's petition gains support against plans to cut school week

Public consultation is already underway on the proposal which would see all schools close at 12.30pm every Friday.

But unlike neighbouring authorities which already implement a Friday lunchtime finish and where some days classes begin earlier and finish later, Falkirk Council is proposing what critics say is effectively a ten per cent reduction in the time pupils are taught.

The council say the move is needed to plug the £62 million funding gap it has with education services tasked with saving £40 million over the next five years.

Their proposal has been drawn up with senior headteachers and officials, according to the council, but it has already fallen foul of the Scottish Government with the Cabinet Secretary for Education making it clear such a move would not be acceptable.

This saw the plans dropped from this year’s budget but now the council have brought it back and are consulting with the public. Meetings for parents are taking place in schools next week.

However, mum Liane Tait decided to rally other parents and critics of the scheme and launched a Change.org petition calling on the proposal to be dropped.

It has only being running for five days but already has 1684 signatures with more being added all the time.

She said: “I am a parent in Falkirk, deeply concerned about the future of our children's education. The proposed cuts to the school day by Falkirk Council threaten to disadvantage our young learners compared to their peers throughout Scotland.

"Our children deserve equal opportunities for learning and growth. Yet, if these cuts go ahead, they will receive less instructional time than students in other parts of Scotland. This is not just a matter of fairness; it also impacts their academic progress and future prospects.”

"This decision could exacerbate existing educational inequalities within our community.

"We urge Falkirk Council to reconsider this decision and explore alternative solutions that do not compromise our children's education. Our children are the future leaders, innovators, and citizens of Scotland – let us invest adequately in their potential.”

Comments from those backing the petition included: “Education is the most important thing you can give your child, why cut it down?” and "My kids deserve to have a good education, not rush through so schooling costs less. They have lost so much learning due to covid, which they have not recovered from”.

One mum wrote: “It’s an absolute disgrace what Falkirk Council are proposing. Completely detrimental to our children. Twenty days difference per year in our child’s education because the live in Falkirk Council. That’s 200 days over 10 years. That’s a whole year of education that our children are being denied but yet are going to be expected to sit the same higher or Nat 5 exams as the children from other council areas that have had this extra education.”

While another added: “It is a postcode lottery system for our children who deserve every opportunity to be treated like others in Scotland.”

A spokesperson for Falkirk said the proposals “place the maintenance of curriculum, improving outcomes for our children and young people at its heart, with the context of a fast-changing landscape in how education is delivered”.