By PATRICK GOWER and REBECCA WALSH
Students at Hamilton's Fraser High are giving up their hour-long lunch.
Instead, they are taking longer morning and afternoon breaks to try to help them to work better.
Students go straight in to class by 8.40, then take a 30-minute break at 10.30 and a 40-minute break at 1.30, leaving as usual at 3.10.
The timetable has the support of students and staff, who both say their school day passes much more quickly with just one class in the afternoon before the bell.
"It's a bit different but we think it will revolutionise the school day here," said principal Martin Elliott.
The best learning time was before the heat of the afternoon set in, Mr Elliott said, and the benefits of the new timetable would be clear once the "culture shock" had worn off.
The change was made after a survey of students last year found that more than half were eating their lunch during the morning break.
Seventh-formers the Herald spoke to yesterday said they enjoyed the shorter afternoons in the classroom, despite the odd stomach grumble.
Head girl Linda Chubb, aged 16, said she was hungry by the time the old lunch hour rolled around, but she was beginning to adjust.
Charlie Vaalepu, 17, said the change was "pretty cool" even though he did not really like it at first.
"After lunch we used to get real tired. Now the short afternoon saves people from sleeping through class."
Dr John Birkbeck, part-time professor of nutrition at Massey University's Albany campus, said that as long as students did not limit themselves to two small snacks he did not see a problem with dropping the lunch hour.
"There has been a fad of saying we shouldn't eat big meals, we should graze all the time. I think that's passed. Most people realise it's not the optimum way of getting nutrition."
Professor Birkbeck suggested a morning snack including something made of starch, such as a bread bun or biscuit, and a piece of fruit.
At lunchtime a sandwich and a carrot were healthy options. "If you have a big meal the body is diverted to handling the big meal and isn't as busy providing nutrients for the brain."
Secondary Schools Principals Association president Tom Robson believed that having two shorter breaks was a good idea and might end student complaints that the traditional one-hour lunch break was boring.
"I don't know of anyone else who is doing it. It's a quite pragmatic approach ... If students have two breaks like that they have time to have something to eat, get themselves organised and be ready for the next session."
Mr Robson said that while some people thought students did not learn as well in the afternoon, that had not been borne out by research.
He acknowledged that many students' concentration was not as sharp in the afternoon but said that was human nature.
At Aorere College in Papatoetoe, three-quarters of classroom teaching is done in the morning, when students are more alert. Other schools favour a one-hour lunch break for sports and music rehearsals.
Lunch stop moved to help pupils
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