School days could be extended by half an hour - to create a minimum 35-hour week - to help pupils catch-up under an ambitious £15billion Covid bounce back plan, it was reported last night. The ambitious plan for England also proposes extra tutoring for five million pupils and additional training for 500,000 teachers. But the report warns that the cost to the economy long-term of doing nothing to help pupils catch up on lost learning could be £1.5 trillion. In February, the NAHT school leaders' union urged ministers to dismiss the 'superficially attractive' policy of an extended school day. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: 'Research evidence shows that there are better methods to help pupils than lengthening the school day.

Source: Daily Mail June 01, 2021 01:15 UTC