Tiring school term to be overhauled

A MAJOR shake-up of the school calendar could result from a national debate to be held this month.

Education Minister Luc Chatel has called for a complete review of the system which has been accused of damaging children’s progress and health.

Hot topics will include the current four-day primary school week, and shortening the summer holiday or having different dates for different geographic zones as for the winter and spring holidays.

A report by think-tank the Institut Montaigne says the French primary school programme is too heavy to be properly packed into what is the shortest amount of school days in Europe – 140 compared to 190 in the UK.

This was harming pupils’ performance, it said, with four out of ten children leaving primary school with "gaps" in their essential reading, writing and arithmetic skills. There should be shorter summer holidays and five-day weeks, they said.

A survey of the French public by pollsters Ipsos found 60% agreed that the long school summer holidays should be shortened.

The president of one of the main parents’ bodies, FCPE, Jean-Jacques Hazan said: "We have been asking for debate on time at school or home for about 15 years, so we are pleased this is going ahead.

"Many people will be affected by changes, such as local councils and associations running children’s activities.

"The state has imposed its four-day model, which is the worst one, and now they are having to backtrack.

"The objective should be that the child learns, succeeds and feels good.

"Up to now decisions have been taken in favour of adults - winter and spring holidays are arranged to suit the tourist industry and stopping Saturday school was mainly done to leave parents in peace at weekends. If we’re serious about better results and less school violence we need new priorities."

He said violence peaked at times when the pupils had been in school for too long without a break. Theoretically (apart from in summer) seven weeks on and two off is the aim, he said, but this is disrupted so as to fit the needs of winter holiday operators. He added that since the 35-hour week workers often took shorter holidays and two months of school summer holidays were unnecessary.

The FCPE believe five, six and seven should be the maximum teaching hours for primary, collège and lycée, with an hour and a half for lunch.

Some lycée students do eight, with less than an hour for lunch, Mr Hazan said.

The national secretary of primary teachers’ union SNUipp, Michelle Olivier, said they had been calling for discussion on the school calendar since Saturday mornings were removed "without consultation." She said: "The children are too tired by longer, heavier days.

"There have also been curriculum changes meaning there is more work to fit in. Plus there is now personalised help for pupils in difficulty. Several times in recent years there have been changes and the children’s best interests were ignored.

"For a long time we’ve said we must get round a table with parents and local authorities," she added.

However she said zoning summer holidays would be unpopular as it could cause complications for families where parents are separated or divorced and live in different areas.

The general secretary of secondary schools union SNES, Frédérique Rolet, said the issue was important but should not divert attention from others like over-large classes and the axing of teaching jobs. In lycées students reported feeling less tired where class sizes were smaller, she said. Suitable places for them to relax were also often lacking, she added.

Ms Rolet said hours in lycée varied by Baccalauréat - with literature students having more time for home study and technology students more time in school.