CONTROVERSAL Education Secretary Michael Gove announced recently he wants longer school days and shorter holidays, in a move the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) branded "destructive".

However the headteacher of a Blackheath academy believes that, at least in theory, Gove's ideas are well founded.

Conservative MP Mr Gove, speaking at the Spectator education conference, claimed schoolchildren in East Asia benefit from more tuition time with teachers, and are leaving English pupils behind.

He added that current school terms were designed for a 19th century agricultural economy - when school children had long summer holidays to help in the field.

General secretary of the NAHT Russell Hobby responded by claiming Gove had not considered the impact the potential reforms could have on teachers.

He said: "Michael Gove has called for one of the hardest working professions in the country to work longer hours.

"It ignores the hundreds of hours of unpaid overtime every teacher works every year.

"We cannot see how such comments will help attract and retain teachers.

"NAHT has always been prepared to engage constructively with reform but we have no wish to participate in such a polarised and destructive debate."

However Michael Barry, headteacher of St Matthew Academy, says the idea is, on paper, a very good one.

He told News Shopper: "It is a brilliant idea although I think Michael Gove is going about it in the wrong way.

"I agree that schools should be open in the early morning and evening and that schools should be open to the communities.

"But I think schools, like academies, should be given the flexibility to go about it how they want to.

"You don't want to be forced into keeping all children in school after hours. Some children have different requirements to others.

"For some the best thing is to go home and sit in their bedroom and work there. Others will benefit from more time with teachers.

"And I don't expect all teachers to give up their Saturday mornings.

"But by offering after school activities and summer schools you are helping children, parents and the wider community."

The reforms would allow state schools to stay open until 4.30pm, while a shorter, four week summer holiday would also be introduced.

The changes would require a rewriting of teachers' contracts, which Gove kickstarted a few weeks ago by asking the independent School Teachers' Review Body to examine working hours.

Under the current system Pupils get around six weeks off in summer, while school days usually run from around 9am to 3pm, or 3.30pm.