A SCHOOL is considering changing its start time to 9.25am because students cannot get out of bed.
Staff, students and parents at Blatchington Mill School will be consulted about plans to shift the school day by one hour.
If the plans are approved students at the school in Nevill Close, Hove, will start at 9.25am and finish at 4pm, instead of 8.30am to 3pm.
School bosses launched the consultation after being inspired by educational research suggesting early start times do not support the biological rhythms of adolescents.
They think it could lead to an improvement in concentration, punctuality and ultimately grades.
The consultation follows Blatchington Mill’s above national average performance in the Government’s new league tables.
Headteacher Ashley Harrold said: “With everything we do in school we want to take an approach of looking at research to see how to do things better for young people and families and then implement this in the school.
“We don’t think that school is the way it is and can never be changed.
“There may well be big logistical changes we could make.
“Actually, our experience is that pupils are generally quite focused in the morning and there’s not a massive issue with morning lessons. But we are looking for marginal gains to get a more harmonious learning experience.
“It may be that they’re absolutely fine now but they might be even better if we start a little bit later."
The consultation will last for two months before a decision is made later in the year.
The school said any changes would come into force by September 2018.
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