Changing the school day

The DfE is allowing all schools to set their own school day.

The school day is a sensitive issue. 'Longer' can mean 'better' where the extra time is well used, and clearly focused. I know of one state boarding school with outstanding results where they take a small number of day pupils, but they have to be there early and stay late. Some children do not have ready access to space to do quality work out of school, and providing a disciplined environment for homework has to be a good thing. And I am always amazed at the schools that close at 1500 or 1300 on a Friday - very popular with children, but perhaps not with parents. And the infamous practice of 'study leave' (or perhaps it should be called 'X-Box leave') has already been tightened up but should be abolished; learners need access both to teachers and a learning environment. Again, I'm aware of a new headteacher who proposed lengthening the school day to the governing body - and was harshly censured for such a radical notion.