Academy chain consults on the future of its controversial extended school day

An academy chain which launched an extended school day for its older primary pupils after the first coronavirus lockdown last year –four years after having backed down on earlier plans in the face of a parental and staff campaign in opposition –is consulting on whether or not to roll it out for another year.

Future Academies, overseen by the Conservative peer Lord Nash and his wife Lady Caroline Nash, introduced without fanfare an extra lesson for key stage 2 pupils at its primary schools at the end of the day last September. This brought to fruition long-held plans which drew national attention back in 2016.

The scheme has seen the number of fifty-minute lessons at the schools rising from six to seven, with English, maths, British and ancient history and music taking up the extra time.

But with reaction over the past year to the scheme from families said to have been mixed, and amid union concern about teachers having to teach longer hours without pay, the chain is consulting on options including scrapping later finishing times – though there was scepticism as to whether this will happen.

The consultation, currently taking place over only two weeks including last week’s half-term, comes with Future’s leadership having admitted that the extended day, though important to its covid-19 reaction, “has also brought with it various challenges for our children”, and for staff.