THE bell is being ditched at a Wee County school in a trial which saw the introduction of a flag system.

Fishcross PS will use flags to alert pupils that it is time to enter the building or to leave for breaks, lunch or home and the young people will make their way to the door without lining up.

A social media post from the school’s parents group said: “Some children can find the sound of bells quite harsh and unpleasant and lining up and waiting in line can be when disagreements can sometimes occur.

“This new system is being monitored during this term and a decision as to its success will be in April.”

A spokeswoman for the council explained the initiative was all about wellbeing and maximising learning opportunities.

And said: “The approach seeks to make the school and playground environments as calm as possible so that children are settled and ready to learn in class.

“Children’s wellbeing affects not only their social and emotional development, but also their academic outcomes and is a key factor in determining how able a child is to meet the demands of the classroom.”

Feedback will be considered from those interested, as the post from the parents group added: “A lot of parents have already expressed their opinion about this and in an effort to pass on all information we are looking for feedback from both parents and children so that we can approach the school and do what is best for the kids and families.”