Consultation on a one hour reduction in the teaching week

Consultation: Proposed Continuing Professional Development Structure and School Day Change

Frank Wise School is entering a period of formal consultation regarding a proposed change to the school day. We are proposing a 2:30pm finish every Friday for pupils starting in September 2026 to provide essential staff training (Continuing Professional Development) time.

The consultation will run for six weeks, beginning Monday 12th January 2026, and closing on Friday 20th February 2026

We want to ensure every voice is heard. There are several ways for families and stakeholders to learn more and share their views:

1. Attend an information session: We are hosting three sessions to present the proposal and answer questions. Please sign up via Eventbrite by following the links below:

• Online: Monday, 19th January (4:00 pm – 5:00 pm)
• In-Person: Tuesday, 20th January (10:00 am – 11:00 am)
• In-Person: Wednesday, 21st January (5:30 pm – 6:30 pm)

2. Complete the Formal Questionnaire: The central way to provide feedback is through our formal survey. You can access it via the link in your consultation letter or request a hard copy/large print version from the school office.

https://forms.gle/LJRJTDHuUJvuCK5j9

3. Direct Submissions: You may also submit detailed feedback via:

• Email: office@frankwise.oxon.sch.uk
• Post: Hand-written letters to the School Office.
• Verbal: Families may request to respond to the questionnaire over the phone with a member of the Office or Leadership team.

Why is this being proposed?

This proposal addresses a shortfall in essential staff training time caused by increases in both the volume and frequency of the training we are required to complete. The time needed to complete this training is vital for the safety and effective education of our pupils. The Governors will weigh the educational benefits against the impact on families (childcare, transport, and employment) before making a final decision.

The reason for this change is that the school does not have enough time to provide staff with the essential training required for the safe operational management of the school, or to continue to develop staff expertise in teaching your children.

This is because we have an allocation of 30 hours per year through INSET Days (the same allocation as mainstream schools despite the additional support your children often require), but the time required to achieve and then maintain essential qualifications alone is approximately 46 hours.

We carefully considered other options to create additional time for staff training, such as changing staff contracts, or requesting additional INSET days, but the alternatives would not generate the time required or could not be delivered within the schools existing budget.

It is important to note that, as a special school, we are disproportionately affected by recent increases in non-educational training requirements and are concerned that our inability to provide adequate time for this training risks impacting negatively on both pupils and staff.

Some examples of the essential training that staff across the school are required to do include; how to support complex communication and any associated behaviours; emergency first aid; using specialised equipment for fire evacuation; using emergency medication for conditions such as epilepsy; moving and handling associated with supporting personal care;supporting children who are tube fed; and safeguarding.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can read answers to what we considered to be questions that may be frequently asked here – Frequently Asked Questions

These will be updated as the consultation process proceeds based on other questions we receive from stakeholders.

The final “Report on the Outcome of the Consultation” will be published by Friday 13th March 2026.