Teesdale School and Sixth Form is proposing to extend its learning day by 10 minutes.
Parents are being asked for their views on the move which would shorten the overall length of the autumn term.
In a letter to parents, the school said: “This will enable the school to offer better teaching and learning experience through more efficient use of learning time and increased staff and student wellbeing.
“We propose to extend learning time by 10 minutes each school day. This will enable us, with careful placement of other breaks, to decrease the autumn term by four days and to increase the length of the autumn half term break to two weeks.”
The school added that two lessons each day would be lengthened by five minutes, increasing time across the year by nine hours and 30 minutes.
The letter said: “The autumn term is the longest and most difficult time of the school year for both students and staff.
“Due to high levels of fatigue, burn-out and illness we experience during this term, we are proposing to adjust each school day to increase learning time and reduce the overall length of the term by four days.
“This is in line with many schools, trusts and local authorities to better support the mental health and physical wellbeing of students and staff.”
The school added that it would continue to meet all Department of Education requirements for total learning hours and the minimum 32.5 hour school week.
