HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition protesting against proposed changes to the school day at a Darwen school.

A consultation is underway after Darwen Vale proposed starting lessons at 8.45am and extending class times from 60 minutes to 80 minutes.

Students will also get half an hour for lunch rather than 60 minutes.

Catherine Pickering, whose son Tom is due to start at the Blackburn Road school in September, said prospective parents had not been informed of the consultation. Her petition has gained more than 300 signatures.

School bosses said longer lessons will give students more opportunity for practical work, group activity and to work on improvements while there will be more natural breaks throughout the day.

Ms Pickering, 40, of Sandy Lane, said it will cause disruption to learning, greater pressure on young people and difficulties for teachers.

She said: “My son has got dyspraxia and anxiety. I have been for a meeting with a special educational needs teacher and I was very happy with the set up. There was no mention of this.

“I was told he would get an hour for lunch and could use that time to go to the library to do homework.

“With longer lessons I know my son will struggle to concentrate and he is not the only one.

“Everybody is in uproar. If it goes ahead I will be doing everything I can to get him into a different school.”

David Hallam, acting principal, said: “Reforms in education and the demands of new courses mean that schools need to reflect on the way lessons are taught.

“Courses are being written by exam boards with more content and more is being expected of teachers to cope with this.

“We see this as an opportunity to review what and how do things and are proposing that we offer additional time in the curriculum to support students with these demands, ensuring they have the best possible preparation to gain the qualifications and skill they need to achieve success in adult life.”

He said with regards to the length of lessons they understand parent’s concerns and will take them into account when doing the timetable.

“We are proposing more natural breaks throughout the day than our current school day allows, and within longer lessons the style of teaching and learning will be varied. Longer lessons give students more opportunity for practical work, group activity and to work on improvements suggested by their teachers immediately, while the topic is still fresh in their minds. This makes learning more effective.”

He added they remain committed to extra-curricular activities and are committed to the quality of pastoral care.