Schools to get new rules on opening hours under government plan

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Schools will be told the minimum the number of hours they need to open for under government plans. A new White Paper has been published by the government today, Monday, detailing how it intends to support its 'Levelling Up mission for education'.

Among the measures it plans to introduce is for schools to offer a minimum 32.5 hour week by September 2023. Discussing the proposals with the Mail on Sunday, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said that 'currently 14 per cent of primary and secondary schools across England have school weeks shorter than 32 hours'. READ MORE: The £28.07 Asda Smart Price shop that's causing such a stir amid cost of living crisis And the Department for Education has said that 'a child who receives 20 minutes less of teaching time per day would lose out on around two weeks of schooling per year'.

The 32.5-hour school week is equivalent to 8.45am to 3.15pm, Monday to Friday, something most schools already offer. But unions have criticised the move, saying there are often valid reasons why others don't.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "We are unconvinced by the benefits of introducing a minimum expectation on the length of the school week of 32.5 hours. "The vast majority of schools already meet, or come very close to meeting, this expectation.