Several schools across England have announced they will allow pupils to arrive late on Monday following England's World Cup decider match against Mexico, which kicks off at 1am. The match is expected to finish around 3am, prompting schools to adjust start times to accommodate young fans.
Schools Offering Late Starts
Among the schools permitting late arrivals are Purwell Primary School in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where registers will remain open until 10.30am. Castle Hill Primary School in Basingstoke, Hampshire, will allow students to arrive from 9.30am. In County Durham, Greenland Primary School, Bloemfontein Primary School, and Burnhope Primary School will all keep registers open until 10am. Berwick Hills Primary School in Middlesbrough has also adopted a 10am deadline for arrivals.
Malmesbury Primary School in Wiltshire is taking a different approach by opening earlier to screen a recording of the match, even serving breakfast to pupils who attend.
Support from Education Union
The National Education Union (NEU) has backed the plans. General secretary Daniel Kebede described the match as an 'important event in our calendar,' supporting the decision to let pupils start later.
Thomas Tuchel's Call to Parents
England manager Thomas Tuchel urged parents to allow their children to stay up and watch the match. He said: 'Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. They have so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch, there will be a big, big match in four days and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children.'
Pubs and Adults' Plans
Pubs are permitted to stay open until 5am for the match, but many have opted not to. All but five Wetherspoons branches will close before kick-off. Tommy Higgs, co-owner of The Three Horseshoes pub in Witney, Oxfordshire, told LBC: 'We're in a built-up community around here, and I think it's just a little bit disrespectful for our locals to have that sort of noise at 5am. No one's going to want to work until five in the morning. We're not a nightclub, we're a local pub in a small town, and I am not allowed to annoy my neighbours because I'll be into holy hell with that.'
The government has also ruled out granting an extra bank holiday for adults to recover from the match.
