Updated

Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2

Tuchel Urges Parents to Let Children Watch 01:00 England Match as Schools Weigh Flexibility

Updated

Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2

Tuchel Urges Parents to Let Children Watch 01:00 England Match as Schools Weigh Flexibility

Q: Is a late-night World Cup match a priceless memory or a slippery slope for student attendance?

It is both, but only if treated as an exception rather than a reason to miss school. Tuchel’s argument has force: a World Cup knockout match is rare, communal and memorable in a way an ordinary school night is not. Many parents and some school leaders see value in children sharing a national sporting moment with family. That is why ideas such as a flexible start, or a spoiler-free replay at school, have gained support. They preserve the experience without turning it into a full absence. The attendance case is also strong. England’s absence rate, while improving, remains above pre-pandemic levels, and nearly one in five pupils has been persistently absent. Department for Education guidance stresses that missed time quickly adds up and that schools should reinforce the benefits of being present. In most attendance systems, tiredness after a football match would not count as a standard excused absence. Ministers have therefore drawn a line: parents decide bedtime, but school attendance still matters. The practical answer is moderation. For older children, staying up once for a major knockout game and still attending school the next day is unlikely to damage attendance culture if parents and schools handle it sensibly. For younger children, a replay before school or a later viewing may be the better option. The slippery slope begins only if a one-off national event becomes a precedent for routine absence.

2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2

Thomas Tuchel told parents to "write an excuse for school" and let children watch England's World Cup last-16 match against Mexico, which kicks off at 01:00 BST on Monday and could run until nearly 04:00.
That timing has split parents and educators over whether children should stay up, miss school, or attend tired, turning a football fixture into a debate about attendance and lost learning.
Malmesbury Church of England Primary in Wiltshire plans a 07:00 replay for its 420 pupils and expects about half to attend, while North Somerset's council leader urged schools to be flexible.
Downing Street said bedtime is for parents to decide but insisted children should be in school on Monday; the National Education Union backed a flexible start, while skills minister Jacqui Smith rejected Tuchel's suggestion.
The match's national pull extends beyond schools: Keir Starmer said pubs in England and Wales can stay open until 05:00 so fans can watch England's knockout tie.