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Kids could be forced to go to school on Saturdays to catch up, says Education Secretary

8 September 2020, 11:17 | Updated: 9 September 2020, 16:45

The Education Secretary has said pupils may need to go in on Saturdays. Picture: PA Images/Getty Images

Pupils may be forced to go to classes at the weekend to catch up on missed lessons.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said pupils could face going to school on Saturdays to catch up.

After classrooms were forced to close during the midst of the pandemic, millions of children missed out on vital lessons.

And now longer school days and ‘Saturday classes’ are being considered in the UK to "help youngsters catch up with the education they have lost."

Gavin Williamson has said kids might need to go to school on Saturdays. Picture: PA Images

Mr Williamson told the Commons: "That might mean extending the school day for some, that might mean Saturday classes for others.

"There are so many different interventions that can really deliver significant results in terms of helping youngsters catch up on the learning that they have lost."

When questioned about the lack of childcare by Labour, he went on: "We're working with all schools to ensure that provision is provided for parents, we've issued guidance on that in terms of setting out how this could be done in a safe and cautious way that works for both those who work in schools, but also for the children who benefit from this wraparound care, and the parents who depend on it."

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This comes after schools opened again for many pupils on July 2, and for everyone last week.

Mr Williamson also insisted that schools will only ever be closed again as an "absolute last resort.”

He told the Commons: "On July 2 we outlined our expectations and what is required for schools in terms of delivery of continuity of education.

"That's why we've made an investment of a further 150,000 laptops that will be provided for those communities that are in a position where they're not going to be able to be providing face-to-face teaching within schools.

"But to be absolutely clear - schools will only ever be closed as an absolute last resort because we all understand in this House, on both sides of this House, how important it is for children to be benefiting from being in school with their teachers and learning in the school environment."

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