Schools may have to close early on Fridays

Schools in England could be forced to close on Friday afternoons because of a row over teachers' workloads, a union boss warned today.

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said he fears an agreement to allow teachers to spend 10 per cent of their time out of the classroom would mean having to shut schools at lunchtime on Fridays.

He said most schools do not have the cash to implement the agreement fully by taking on more teachers to cover the shortfall.

Headteachers warned that the only way they can stay inside the agreement - which is legally binding - is by sending children home.

Mr Hart said: "There will be a number of schools struggling; several hundred schools are struggling.

"I can see a winter of discontent if there are significant numbers of schools that simply say 'we're not going to implement the agreement because we can't do it'."

Primary schools are expected to be worst affected by the problem, because they do not currently give their staff time off for marking and preparation every week.

But secondaries may also struggle because of the new obligation.