By Chris Williamson-
Schools in the Uk are reportedly considering reducing teaching to three or four-day weeks to manage huge energy bills.
The idea will open up pandora’s box, should it spread across other Uk schools, with practical issues like questions about parents hiring extra care to look after their children whilst they are at work, or providing extra tuition to keep their children busy on those free days out of school, should the idea take off the ground.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
Many schools have already been complaining that school pupils have been set back by pandemic lockdowns, and may have to decide whether they believe an extra day away from school will worsen matters for pupils.
Mark Jordan, the chief executive of a multi-academy trust that runs 17 schools across the Midlands and Norfolk, told the newspaper he had heard discussions of a ‘three-day week’.
It also follows discussions in some U.S schools for four day week schools to be considered for the new term in September.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Dr Robin Bevan, headmaster of Southend High School for Boys in Essex, also told the newspaper: “If a four-day week is not already being planned, it will certainly be being considered’ by some schools.”
Other measures reportedly being discussed include recruitment freezes, scrapping Covid catch up programs and planning redundancies.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education has confirmed school weeks should be no less than 32.5 hours.
They told The Telegraph: “Thousands of schools already deliver this length of week within existing budgets and we expect current funding plans to account for this.
“We recognise that schools – much like the wider economy – are facing increased costs, including on energy and staff pay.”
This comes after funding per pupil has fallen by nine per cent since 2010, with the Government committing an extra £7billion for school budgets in England by 2024.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that in 2024, spending per pupil will still be three per cent below 2010 levels due to rising costs and teacher salaries.
Pay for teachers is are set to increase by nine per cent for new employees and five per cent for experienced teachers.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar