Will ministers make school days longer to help kids catch up?
MINISTERS are ‘receptive’ to extending the school day to help children catch up on lost learning, it was reported yesterday.
Teachers reacted with concern to the suggestion – but the Government believes that school facilities could be used even if teaching unions object, it was claimed.
Calls for a longer school day have been growing for some time and come amid a row over when to reopen schools – and get the prospects of the nation’s children back on track.
The Government this week appointed Sir Kevan Collins, former chief executive of the Education Endowment Fund – a charity which aims to improve the attainment of the poorest pupils – as education recovery commissioner to oversee its programme.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also announced schools will receive an extra £300million to pay for catchup tuition.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: ‘We appreciate that these
‘How would parents react?’
ideas are put forward with the best of intentions, but we really do need to be much more forensic about catch-up support.
‘It is all very well suggesting extended school days and school terms, but this raises questions about whether attendance would be mandatory, and how parents would react to this requirement.
‘We need to focus on the normal school day, when all pupils are in attendance.’
He added: ‘Schools are best placed to make these decisions, and what they really need from the Government is sufficient catch-up funding to support this work.’
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has previously indicated that he is not averse to extending the school day.
Last year, however, ministers are believed to have ruled out using legislation to enact the idea, instead hoping for cooperation from heads to use their facilities for the Government’s tutoring scheme for disadvantaged pupils and activities to raise the wellbeing of those most in need.
Writing in The Times yesterday, James Forsyth, political editor of The Spectator, said ministers were ‘receptive’ to having longer school days.
He added: ‘The [Government’s]
thinking is that if the National Education Union objects, teachers would not need to be there. Rather, the extended hours of the day could be covered by volunteers; there are many civil society groups keen to help out.’
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘The Government will work with parents, teachers and schools to develop a long-term plan to make sure pupils have the chance to make up their learning over the course of this parliament.’