TROUBLED Headlands School will close on Thursday afternoons until the end of the school year.

Council education chiefs have decided such a move could help improve the teaching situation at the school in Cricklade Road.

Staff will use the time to prepare lesson plans and take part in teacher development activities.

The decision comes two weeks after pupils staged a walkout on Monday, May 17, to protest about teaching standards.

Executive headteacher David Williams said: "We accept it isn't an ideal arrangement for some parents but hope they will see it as us investing in our staff to deliver the best possible service for the remaining 90 per cent of the week.

"Activities on Thursday afternoons are generally less to do with the academic aspects of education and more to do with personal development and community activities."

It is hoped pupils will use their spare time to do something active at the Link and Oasis centres.

Headlands pupils will be given a special Swindon Card that will allow them to use some of the leisure facilities.

Parents of pupils have been briefed about the situation.

As well as shutting the school on Thursday afternoons, 10 new interim teachers have also been appointed to replace supply teachers, who are brought in to cover for staff absences.

The interim teachers will work closely with the existing teachers to cover classes, reducing the number of temporary supply teachers the school needs.

The growing number of supply staff at Headlands had been a cause for concern.

Hilary Pitts, the director of education at Swindon Council, said: "We have been using supply teachers and are very grateful for the commitment they and other teaching staff have shown.

"However, given just how many temporary vacancies we had at Headlands, we have worked with the school management team and governors to find this alternative approach."

But parents are still concerned.

Ivor Mason, 51, of Marston Avenue, in Penhill, thinks the idea is misguided.

His daughter, 14-year-old Louise, is a Year Nine pupil at Headlands.

He said: "It's a bit stupid and it's the kids who will suffer at the end of the day.

"Rather than having the time for lesson plans, I think it just shows that they haven't got enough teachers.

"I can't see it will benefit the children and the lessons should be planned during the summer holidays they are six weeks long, after all."

Mr Mason's wife, Janet, believes that problems at the school have driven Louise to despair.

Mrs Mason said that it took five months for her to be given an appointment to raise her concerns with staff only to be threatened with prosecution over her daughter's attendance level.

Mrs Mason insists that her daughter was an enthusiastic pupil until comparatively recently.

Emma-Kate Lidbury