School day should be extended starting in disadvantaged areas to help pupils catch up on lost learning and take part in more physical and cultural activities, says landmark race report
- Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities recommended extending school day
- It said longer school day should be phased in, starting in disadvantaged areas
- Extra time at school would largely be focused on physical and cultural activities
The school day should be extended, starting in the most disadvantaged parts of the country, to aid pupil development and boost learning, a landmark report has recommended.
The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson should ‘urgently consider’ the move.
It said evidence showed a longer school day would have a ‘positive impact’ for disadvantaged pupils.
The report suggested ‘phasing’ in the shake-up by prioritising those areas which could benefit the most.
The extra hours at school would be focused on providing all pupils with the chance to take part in physical and cultural activities ‘that enrich lives’.
The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson should ‘urgently consider’ extending the school day
The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities insisted racism is a ‘real force’ in Britain and must be tackled, while hailing progress over recent decades
The Government is considering introducing a longer school day as part of its efforts to help pupils recover from the coronavirus crisis.
But today’s report argues that the school day should be extended permanently and calls for more funding to make it happen.
The recommendation was backed by Robert Halfon, the Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee, who said the Commission’s report ‘gets it absolutely right’ on the issue.
The longer school day was one of 24 recommendations made in the 264-page report.
It said: ‘The Commission recommends that the Secretary of State for Education, in collaboration with the Government’s education recovery commissioner, urgently consider phasing in an extended school day.
‘Led by evidence showing the positive impact of a longer school day for disadvantaged pupils, the phasing of the extended school day should, at first instance, prioritise the most disadvantaged areas and communities.
‘The additional hours must provide all pupils with the opportunity to engage in physical and cultural activities, including working with local activity clubs.’
Boris Johnson said the Government will consider the recommendations made by the report ‘and assesses the implications for future government policy’
The report said extending the school day would make existing after-school activities ‘more accessible to the most disadvantaged students’ and participating would ‘improve pupils’ health and social capital’.
The authors argued that to make a longer school day possible it would be ‘imperative’ for the Government to provide additional funding to ‘establish this recommendation as a permanent change in the way that schools operate’.
Boris Johnson said the Government will consider the recommendations made by the report ‘and assesses the implications for future government policy’.
‘The entirety of government remains fully committed to building a fairer Britain and taking the action needed to address disparities wherever they exist,’ he said.