OVER 150 parents turned out to quiz Bradford on Avon headteacher James Colquhoun on plans for sweeping changes to his school timetable.

At the meeting on Tuesday Mr Colquhoun, who has been headteacher at St Laurence School since January, outlined proposals for a complete overhaul of the school day with fewer and longer lessons, shorter staggered lunch breaks and lessons ending half an hour earlier at 3pm.

The school's 1,100 pupils currently break for lunch at 1.15pm and senior staff are worried the 55 minute break encourages students to misbehave.

Under the new system students will be escorted to lunch for a 30-minute break in their teaching groups.

Michelle Rose's daughter is in Year 10 and has friends in other year groups.

She is worried she won't be able to socialise with them under the new system as she said lunchtime was a good time for children to meet friends or get on with research work.

Her mother said: "I can't help thinking the new timetable will end up punishing the good kids for the sake of keeping the trouble-makers in check."

The new timetable, backed unanimously by school Governors, will start in September when morning register will also be taken by staff using a hand-held electronic device relaying information to the school office so unexplained absences can be dealt with faster.

The school bell will also be replaced by radio-controlled clocks in each classroom.

Mr Colquhoun said: "Fewer lessons means less disruption and more focus on learning.

"I was delighted so many parents turned up to discuss the new shape to the school day.

"Their feedback was very helpful and I think they now have a far clearer idea of the challenges faced by the staff at present and of the many benefits the new school day will bring."

One parent with two children at St Laurence, who asked not to be named, said parents' biggest objection was not being fully consulted about the timetable changes.

He said: "We could be creating a new generation of latch-key kids, coming home before their parents and denying mothers a few hours extra at their jobs.

"I support the headmaster but he should have gone about this in a different way."