Primary schools in Britain would finish the day's lessons at lunchtime under plans being considered by the government.

Schools would allow pupils to go home after lunchtime or stay on for sports, arts or languages, under the scheme to be piloted in East London.

David Miliband, schools standards minister, said: "The government wants to encourage head teachers and other school leaders to shape schools around the needs, aptitude and interests of each individual pupil.

"The judge and jury of innovation is its impact on standards. It is right that head teachers have the power to shape their schools around the needs of each pupil."

Forum Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Sheila Dainton, ATL's education policy adviser, told ePolitix.com: "This proposal is a dangerous idea that would only serve to promote a two-tier system and a two-tier curriculum, relegating key subjects to the bottom of the pile.

"It seems to be based on an assumption that sports, arts or languages don't matter. Under the proposals, these subjects would be pushed to the end of the day - and, more worryingly - made optional.

"Any teacher will tell you that children will learn when they are interested, no matter what time of day. This is precisely why the government's commitment to 'Education Extra' and to out of school learning at the end of the school day has proved such a success.

"The idea of scrapping lunch makes no sense whatever. Those children who miss out on their free school lunch will be the very children who are unlikely to have a decent meal in the evening.

"The proposals also seem to take no account of the fact that most parents will be out at work. They will be seriously detrimental to working mothers - and particularly to lone parents.

"Morning only teaching works in Germany, Italy and Canada because these countries have very different social structures and different employment patterns. In Germany and Italy, for example, fewer women go out to work - and family ties are stronger. There is a much stronger back-up system.

"The proposals have serious consequences for teachers' conditions of service. If the children start at 8.00am, the teachers will need to be there even earlier. We can't buy into the simplistic assumption that everyone is a morning person.

"This comes across as a quick fix solution which flies in the face of the workforce remodelling agreement. The real problem is not being addressed. We need to know why support staff were going on strike. If we are not careful, morning only school will become part of the problem, not part of the solution.

"The proposals could increase truancy rates to a massive extent. Schools have a duty of care to their pupils. Under no circumstances should young children be left wandering the streets in the afternoon."