Government statement on cutting school to four days a week

Following a parliamentary debate on the issue, prompted by the calls, the Department for Education responded: "The government has no plans to require schools to reduce the length of the school week from five days to four by adding an additional hour to each of the four days.

"To ensure children across the country have sufficient time in school to enable them to achieve and thrive, the Government has set a minimum expectation that all state-funded, mainstream schools will deliver a minimum school week of 32 hours and 30 minutes.

"Consistency in the length of the school week is essential for providing equal learning opportunities that will enable children and young people to achieve and thrive. While most state funded schools already meet this requirement, schools that don’t are encouraged to move towards doing so as soon as possible."

Cutting back the school week to four days while still delivering the minimum expectation would mean a minimum school day of over 8 hours. Schools would have to deliver an additional 1 hour and 38 minutes per day across the four days to meet the weekly minimum requirement.

The statement added: "Reducing the school week would also have a damaging impact on parents, many of whom would need to make additional arrangements for childcare, reduce their working hours or potentially leave the workforce altogether. This would in turn put families under financial strain and have a damaging effect on the country’s economy.

"Being in school, enjoying a broad and balanced education and achieving academically are key protective factors that help to promote mental health and well-being."

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The original petition said: "We urge the Government to require all schools to reduce the school week to four instead of five days by making each school day one hour longer whilst requiring the school week to be four instead of five days."

Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, said: "A four-day week for teachers could solve the severe recruitment and retention crisis being faced in our schools."

The petition is allied with the Protest to Fight School Fines campaign.

It asks for parents to be given permission to take up to 10 days per year where they can take their child out of school, fine free.

The petition was set up by mum-of-two Natalie Elliott and reached the 100k mark – following protests in six cities.