A school has promised pupils a Monday lie-in so they can stay up late and watch England make history by competing in the Euro 2020 final.
The nation is firmly in the grips of football fever and the education sector is no different as England gets ready to face-off against Italy on Sunday night.
Parklands Primary School in Leeds has informed parents that children can start from 10am the next day to avoid absences.
Headteacher Chris Dyson said staff would be onsite at the usual time, if parents needed to drop off their children, but he would “rather pupils came in at 10am than not at all”.
“If it goes to extra time and penalties it’s not finishing until going on 11pm. What we don’t want the next morning is half the school staying in bed”.
Dyson said the number of children late for school almost tripled on Thursday after England beat Denmark in extra time (Parklands primary pupils pictured in England attire above).
Elsewhere Community Schools Trust – which runs three London schools – is exploring the option of starting later on Monday, but no final decision has yet been made.
‘This is an opportunity for the government to get back some goodwill’
Chief executive Simon Elliott told Schools Week it would be “a nice gesture” if the Department of Education announced there would be flexibility for schools on Monday.
“It’s gripping the nation and it’s an opportunity for the government to get back some goodwill”, he added.
Elsewhere, pupils and staff alike have been getting into the spirit of things.
Paul Robinson, groundskeeper at South Hunsley School and Sixth Form College in East Yorkshire, part of TEAL academy trust, wowed pupils with his Euro 2020 tribute on Thursday morning (see main picture).
Trust boss Jonny Uttley said some schools will be allowing pupils to attend school in England colours on Monday.
Caroline Barlow, headteacher at Heathfield Community College explained the school’s student-led TV station has been producing regular episodes in the build up to England’s Euro matches.
A new episode is due to drop on Friday complete with practice penalties and pet predictions.
Meanwhile today, Passmores Academy in Essex, will be replacing its usual school bells with football classics, such as Vindaloo, Sweet Caroline and Three Lions.
The DfE was contacted for comment.
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