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04th Oct 2021

UK schools could open on weekends to help kids catch up after Covid closures

Danny Jones

UK schools weekends Covid

What a truly terrifying prospect.

Schools in the UK could be opening up on weekends as the education system looks to catch up following extended Covid-related closures.

According to The Times, new figures show between 95,000 and 135,000 children did not return to school in Britain this term – a statistic that doesn’t even include regular absence numbers.

Furthermore, some schools could also test out an extended day from 8am – 6pm in a pilot scheme after the UK government’s spending review is announced later in October.

There are fears around both children’s and teenagers’ mental health following the long periods of lockdown, as well as the activities they have taken up while not in school.

Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis – England’s biggest academy trust – told The Times:

“We are not just risking a lost generation. We are watching it happen.”

The paper also reported that head teachers will ask parents if they would like Saturday mornings to be considered for their children’s education.

Teachers will of course be paid more for the additional hours should the proposal go ahead, with a slew of newly-hired tutors also set to be brought in.

With GCSE’s arriving before you know it for year groups across Britain, schools aren’t only trying to catch up but also get ahead of the curve.

Physical health remains a concern, too, as it is estimated that one in 20 secondary school children are thought to have had coronavirus in the past week.

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