Complete Guide to London Schools Offering Late Start on Monday for England Match Viewing

Several schools in London and other parts of the UK are permitting students to arrive later on Monday, July 6, to accommodate those wishing to watch the England versus Mexico match during the World Cup. This decision follows comments from England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, who emphasised the importance of support from young fans during the knockout stage of the tournament, set to kick off at 1am on Monday.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has suggested that pupils could enjoy the match and still make it to school. In response, two schools in Sutton, South London, as well as institutions in Salford and County Durham, have confirmed they will adjust their schedules by extending registration times or delaying the start of lessons on that day.

Flexible Start Times for Schools

Oaks Park High School in Carshalton has announced that students should arrive by 9.45am. In a communication to parents, the school stated, “We hope these arrangements strike the right balance between recognising what is likely to be a memorable sporting occasion and ensuring that students continue to benefit from being in school.” Furthermore, the school is “strongly” encouraging students who plan to watch the match to rest beforehand, as staying awake throughout the night could result in extreme fatigue.

Cheam High School, a nearby sister school, will begin the school day at 10am. The headteacher informed parents, “We would like to give our students and staff the opportunity to watch the match without worrying about getting up so early.”

In County Durham, Annfield Plain Infant School has announced that it will keep registration open until 10am, rather than the usual 9am. In a Facebook post, the school remarked, “With England progressing to the next round of the World Cup, Mr Tuchel gave us a call to make an attendance request for Monday, July 6. School will be open as usual from 7.30am for breakfast club, and lessons will begin at 8.45am. However, as he then put big Harry Kane on the phone, we couldn’t say no to agreeing to keep the register open until 10am.”

Support from Educational Authorities

St Patrick’s RC High School in Salford will also be starting lessons at 10am, although the school will open its doors at 8.30am to supervise children. The school concluded its message to parents with a spirited, “Come on the Lions!”

Education Secretary Phillipson has expressed her belief that young people, depending on their age, can manage to watch the match and still attend school. She commented, “I’m not going to get involved in parents and their bedtime routines for their children, that isn’t a wise move for a politician. It’s a late game, but children can be in school the next day.” When asked if she thought children could balance watching the match and attending school, she affirmed, “Well, I think they can, yes, but it’s for parents to decide how they manage this, and of course, it depends on the age of your children, how they feel.”

Phillipson also stated that while she would not interfere with individual schools’ decisions, it is “important” for students to attend school on Monday.

Encouragement from the England Manager

Following England’s recent victory against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tuchel encouraged young fans to prioritise the match over school obligations, saying, “Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. Come on. There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch. There will be a big, big match on in four days and we need the support of everyone, and especially of the children.”

If your London school is also starting later on Monday, please share this information by emailing mylondonnewsdesk@reachplc.com. For more updates from London, consider subscribing to our daily newsletters for the latest news and insights.