The Department for Education has confirmed that schools in England will open at their normal time on Monday, July 6, following England's World Cup last-16 match against Mexico, which kicks off at 1am and could end as late as 3.30am if it goes to extra time and penalties. The government also stated it will not urge schools to be more lenient with unplanned absences.
Government Rejects Calls for Flexible Start
The Express approached the Department for Education seeking an update on calls from a leading teachers' union and England manager Thomas Tuchel for schools to relax start times. The department directed attention to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's recent radio interview, where she said: "My view remains unchanged. Families will want to watch the game, it's incredibly important, I understand that. But it's not the end of the world if kids are a bit tired the next day in school, it's more important that they're there."
When asked whether the Department would encourage schools to be more lenient with unplanned absences on Monday, the answer was a resounding "nope."
Union and Manager Call for Flexibility
On Thursday, NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede called for ministers to relax start times, telling Nick Ferrari on LBC: "It would be very good, I think, if the secretary of state recognised that it’s an important event in our calendar and allowed a flexible start on that Monday morning." England manager Thomas Tuchel also urged parents to let their children stay up late to watch the match.
Prime Minister's Office Weighs In
Asked if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed Tuchel's call, Downing Street said that "parents will make their own decision on that." Sir Keir's spokeswoman added: "We want everyone to enjoy the game but kids should be in school on Monday." She noted that the Prime Minister faces the "same dilemma" as other England fans over whether to stay up, saying: "The PM has his usual packed schedule on Monday, so he’ll be facing the same dilemma as everyone else on whether to stay up. Win or lose, I think millions of England supporters will be at work on Monday, and the PM will be doing the same."
