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Teachers reject policy proposal to ‘lock children into formal schooling for nine-hours-a-day’

Behaviour Staff wellbeing
Teachers have attacked calls for schools to open 45-hours-a-week for 45-weeks-a-year, arguing that there is little evidence to justify locking children in the classroom for nine-hours-a day.

The proposal has been put forward by former Downing Street advisor Paul Kirby, who says that the policy could win the next General Election.

In his personal blog, Mr Kirby outlines the manifesto promise: “From September 2016, all state-funded schools will, by law, provide 45 hours of education per week for 45 weeks of the year.”

It would mean schools opening for students from 9am to 6pm with only seven weeks’ holiday across the year. Mr Kirby argues that this would allow parents to work full-time without the need for additional childcare during school holidays or after-school. He said: “It’s disruptive enough to be a real game-changer in education, in employment and the economy more generally.”

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