30th March 2016 1:00
By Blue Tutors
The government has announced plans to extend the school day. The chancellor outlined plans in the budget to increase funding to schools to allow them to extend the day, and drive up standards. Pointing to the fact that Britain continues to perform poorly in international league tables, the chancellor said that funding would be made available to 25% of schools to increase after school activities such as sports and art. However, the plans have been met with concern from school and college leaders, who are concerned about the lack of funding available for the scheme.
The Association of School and College Leaders has said that there are a number of issues surrounding extending school days that have not been addressed. Many schools already offer after school and holiday activities, and it has not been made clear what the extra funding will cover. One of the main concerns raised is that only 25% of schools will benefit from the funding, meaning that the majority of pupils will left at a disadvantage. The National Association of Head Teachers also pointed out that many schools already offer out of hours activities, and called for clarification of what the money would cover and who would benefit.
Schools in England, Scotland and Wales are currently required to provide pupils with a minimum number of school hours. The government’s proposals would encourage schools to extend their hours, making extra-curricular activities available to more students. They emphasised the need to invest in education, and cited the plan as a means to extend the educational opportunities for many pupils. However, it is not yet clear which 25% of schools would benefit from the funding, and whether it will go to schools who are already able to offer after school activities for their students.