A school is extending its school day and lengthening the autumn half-term.

From this September, the Priestlands School's day will be ten minutes longer, and the autumn half term will last for two weeks.

Every lesson will last one hour, with two 30-minute breaks in the morning and at lunchtime.

Headteacher Peter Main, in charge of the school in Pennington, believes the changes will improve the educational experience the school can offer and also support attendance.

He said: "After a great deal of research and looking at other schools I firmly believe these changes will benefit all our students.

"A new tutor period in the morning will focus on important skills such as reading, literacy, oracy, personal development and careers.

"Each day will finish at 3.15pm from September, each lesson will be an hour long and we will be introducing a two-week timetable. There will be a net gain in teaching time.

"The two 30-minute breaks will allow students to eat earlier in the day if they want to, and the necessary changes will be made to further enhance the food offering in the school caféteria.

"The autumn term is significantly longer than the others, with absence due to illness of both pupils and teachers at its highest.

"Having an extended half-term has many benefits with studies showing attention spans and engagement levels are boosted by having a proper break.

"It will also enable Year 11 students time for revision ahead of their mock exams.

"All these changes will reduce stress, improve mental health, boost learning and benefit the whole school and we might well see more schools move to this model.

"Furthermore, the move will help us attract and retain the very best teachers.

"We understand that some parents will be concerned about childcare arrangements for the longer half-term, and we are in discussions with providers to explore options available.

"For those parents who have concerns, we are very happy to answer questions and we will be offering a presentation to give greater clarity.

"These decisions have been made following 12 months of detailed research and deliberation and will enhance the educational provision for students at Priestlands."

This change follows a growing trend among schools and academy trusts, which have reported positive outcomes after extending the half-term in October and November.