Launceston College tells kids they need perfect attendance to go to prom (Picture: Google)

A school has been accused of ‘going too far’ after it told Year 11 pupils they won’t be allowed to attend their end-of-year prom unless they attend extra lessons every day- and receive perfect attendance.

Launceston College in Cornwall sent a letter to parents on Monday outlining ‘strategies’ to help prepare them for their GCSEs, which are over six months away.

Among the strategies is the suggestion that ‘Period Six’ lessons- optional classes which take place after the end of the school day- are now mandatory for Year 11 pupils.

If students don’t attend every Period Six lesson without a ‘valid and authorised reason,’ they will not be allowed to attend prom or go on an end-of-year trip to Thorpe Park, the letter explains.

This has prompted anger amongst parents who were led to believe the extra lessons were optional, and have said the additional workload and mountain of homework is becoming too much for children to handle.

‘The school is turning into a joke,’ Nikki Billows told Cornwall Live. ‘What right do they have to take away the kids’ prom?

‘My child has learning difficulties and I work so can’t pick [them] up on some days, so [they] only attend two Period 6 classes a week and I am not alone in this predicament.

Pupils will need to attend extra classes every day in order to go on an end-of-year-trip to Thorpe Park (Picture: Jonathan Tennant / SWNS)

‘I believe the school shouldn’t have the right to strip our kids of their right to a prom after five years at secondary school. It’s a rite of passage.’

When Period Six classes were first introduced by the school, Nikki claims parents were told they were not compulsory and could be attended for additional learning ahead of exams. The school website also states compulsory school hours are 32.5 a week, which supports this.

‘So how can they discipline our children on a period that is not compulsory and what rights do they have to keep our children after 3.15pm at school?,’ Ms Billows added. ‘I’m sick of this.

‘An extra hour after school every day which is not needed – now they expect us to do an hour a day at home over the holidays. The kids are tired.

The school outlined their plans in a letter sent to parents (Picture: CornwallLive/BPM)

‘All the school has been doing is testing and testing [her child]. It’s not on, it’s not fair and it was never like it in my day. And we all managed to qualify and become people with careers and opportunities, but I never did any extra hours or extra homework so no, my kid will not be doing it.’

The full letter from Launceston College states Period Six lessons are to ensure children ‘are fully supported with their preparation for these life-changing qualifications’.

It further states: ‘We recognise this is a big transition from Year 10 to Year 11 and that the introduction of Period Six is a significant change for some students. With this in mind, those who attend school every day, including Period Six (unless they have a valid reason not to), from January 2024, will be welcome to join us at Thorpe Park and Prom.’ It also urges any students with extenuating circumstances to reach out for support.

A spokesperson for Launceston College, via Athena Learning Trust, said: ‘We are committed to delivering high-quality education, to ensure every student can access learning to reach their full potential, and believe that strong attendance is key to achieving this. Full attendance is expected unless an authorised and valid reason is stated, which is in line with Government guidance and the Department for Education’s expectations of schools.

‘To support students to strive for full attendance, we offer reasonable adjustments for children with disabilities and provide transport for students who are taking part in ‘Period Six’ learning. We encourage any parents who would like to discuss their child’s attendance to contact the school directly.’ 

It did not address whether the lesson used to be optional or not.

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Pupils at Launceston College need to attend ‘optional’ lessons every day or be excluded from end-of-year activities.