A number of schools in Wales are extending their day by an hour to try to help youngsters catch up after Covid lockdowns.
The Welsh government will invest up to £2m on the trial, allowing 14 primaries and secondaries across south Wales to open for groups of children for an extra five hours a week.
Schools can choose what they do with the time and may put on sessions such as art, music and sport or academic lessons.
If successful, the trial could lead to a longer school day being introduced permanently and school leaders, children and parents are also to be asked to think about whether the shape of the academic year should also be reformed with, for example, the summer holiday being made shorter.
Earlier this week the head of the Ofsted schools inspectorate in England, Amanda Spielman, said almost all children had felt the impact of lockdowns and struggled with a “hokey-cokey education”.
The Welsh scheme is designed to try to find ways to address issues such as children falling behind with lessons and experiencing mental health issues. The government said the trials will be…
