School days could be extended with minister Nadhim Zahawi saying he will ‘look at’ making all ‘move towards’ six-and-a-half hours of lessons
- Nadhim Zahawi today urged schools to move to the average 6.5 hour-long day
- He said he will examine cases where longer school days have boosted learning
- Mr Zahawi also said vaccination of 12-15 year olds was going as planned
- He declared there is 'no place for anti-vaxxers harassing school leaders'
- Meanwhile education minister Michelle Donelan asked university lecturers to 'reconsider strike action' over pay and working conditions
The new education secretary has pledged to look at lengthening the school day.
Nadhim Zahawi today urged all schools to ensure they move to at least the average school day length of 6.5 hours, and told MPs there are some 'excellent examples' that he will examine where longer hours have proved effective.
It has been suggested an extension to the school day will help children prosper after the coronavirus pandemic and catch-up lost learning.
His comments came after Conservative MP Robert Halfon – who chairs the Education Select Committee – asked if the Secretary of State will continue to make the case for a longer school day, citing statistics that appear to show a longer day improves academic success.
Mr Zahawi also said 'there is no place for anti-vaxxers harassing or coming anywhere near school leaders' as he insisted the vaccine rollout for senior school pupils 'continues at pace' during education questions.
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi today urged all schools to ensure they move to at least the average school day length of 6.5 hours, and told MPs there are some 'excellent examples' that he will examine where longer hours have proved effective
Conservative MP and chair of the Education Select Committee Robert Halfon said: 'We know that a longer school day, according to the department for culture, media, sports, increases numeracy by 29%', and encouraged Mr Zahawi to implement longer school days
Mr Halfon said: 'We know from the Education Policy Institute that [longer days] increase educational attainment from two to three months, especially amongst disadvantaged pupils.
'We know that a longer school day, according to the department for culture, media, sports, increases numeracy by 29%. So, this increases educational attainment.'
'Will [Zahawi] at least consider some pilot schemes in disadvantaged areas around the country where we can have a longer school day?'
Mr Zahawi replied: 'I think the priority has to be those children and students who have the least time available to them to recover, which is why the £800 million for the 16 to 19-year-olds additional 40 hours of education is so important.
'There are some excellent examples of a longer school day which I'm going to look at. The average school day now is 6.5 hours and I would like to see everybody move towards that average.'
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But some have warned against a rapid increase in the length of school days and questioned the strain it could place on students' wellbeing.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said in a statement: 'The gains that might be possible through extending the school day must be weighed against the costs of such a strategy, including the impact on pupils' mental health, reduced family time and less time for extra-curricular activities.
'Children's happiness and wellbeing should be prioritised as well as their education.'
Dr Suzanne Cogswell, a research associate at the University of Kent's School of Psychology, also said that 'the proposal of playing catch-up with longer school days and shorter school holidays may not be without its own set of problems for both pupils and teachers.'
'40% of teachers are already carrying out over 21 extra hours of school related work each week during their evenings and weekends. The consequence of this is that teachers are experiencing the highest level of work-related stress in the UK.'
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi (L) leaves Downing Street after attending a cabinet meeting in central London alongside education minister Michelle Donelan, who today called on university lecturers to 'reconsider taking strike action' over their pay and working conditions
Mr Zahawi also fielded questions from the opposition around the subject of vaccines, insisting the rollout is going as planned and chastised anti-vaxxers who are resisting the vaccination programme.
He told the Commons: 'As we have done throughout the vaccination programme, we've operated by taking the advice of the chief medical officers and we moved swiftly the moment that advice was made available to vaccinate 12 to 15-year-olds.
'Through the holiday period that was expanded to out-of-school vaccination and now that they are returning back into school that continues at pace.
'There has been some dangerous behaviour from anti-vaxxers. There is no place for anti-vaxxers harassing or coming anywhere near school leaders and I have the reassurance of the Home Secretary that she'll make any resources available that the sector needs to make sure those people in our schools are protected and are able to get on with the job of teaching children and protecting them.'
Meanwhile, the education minister, Michelle Donelan, appealed for university lecturers to 'reconsider taking strike action' amid a dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions.
She told the Commons: 'I am deeply concerned about it because there is the threat of strikes, our students are now in a position to have face-to-face teaching, and I would urge every lecturer to reconsider taking strike action.
'Strikes before have not helped the situation but they have impacted students, who deserve a fairer deal.'
