Government seriously considering a ‘longer school day’ to help pupils catch up

"School closures have had a huge impact on pupils' education, which will take more than a year to make up."

The government are seriously considering lengthening the school day in a bid to help pupils catch up after lockdown, according to a report in The Telegraph. A third successive national lockdown has disrupted the entire education system, with pupils spending the majority of the last 12 months learning from home. Realising how damaging this lack of classroom time could be for the prospects of future generations, the government are considering a series of measures to bridge the gap. One of the measures under consideration is the possibility of extending school days to include extra classes outside the typical 8am-3pm window. Charities and volunteer groups may also be roped in to offer additional classes and extracurricular activities. [caption id="attachment_263336" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Extra classes could be added to the school day. (Photo: Getty)[/caption] Speaking to The Telegraph, chair of the Education Select Committee Robert Halfon said: "They are definitely considering all these ideas. I think they are receptive and thinking about it seriously." A spokesperson for the government said: "We will invest a further £300 million in tutoring programmes, building on the existing £1 billion Covid Catch-Up Fund, but the Prime Minister has been clear that extended school closures have had a huge impact on pupils' education, which will take more than a year to make up. "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 lost education over the course of this parliament – and we have just appointed Sir Kevan Collins to the role of Education Recovery Commissioner, to specifically oversee this issue." Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reiterated that schools in England will remain closed until at least March 8. In Wales and Scotland, where education is a devolved matter, some primary school pupils will return by February 22.