Ahead of Monday morning's crucial England v Mexico match, schools across England are throwing open their gates later in a bid to ease the pressure on parents and children who may have stayed up late to watch the action. The match kicks off at 01:00 BST, with primary and secondary institutions in areas including London, Salford, the Midlands, and County Durham delaying opening until approximately 10:00.
Headteachers argue that this flexible approach is designed to alleviate pressure on families who may struggle to get children up for school after a late night. The match could potentially extend until 04:00 BST if it goes to penalties, making an early start challenging for many families. Daniel Steventon, headteacher of Hill Avenue Academy in Wolverhampton, which will open at 10:00, explained, "Why wouldn't we want our children to be passionate about supporting their country during the World Cup?" He added that a later start demonstrates "understanding and flexibility" and reduces stress for families.
This initiative has garnered significant support from parents. Kelly Wall, a full-time working mother of two, welcomed her children's school's consistent late openings for England's late-night matches. She noted it has enabled her family to watch games together, fostering an interest in football with her son. "We've been able to sit and watch it together as a family... because of these late starts," Wall said, highlighting the reduced pressure to meet early school timings when children are tired.
However, not all parents share this view. Some have expressed criticism on social media, suggesting that children should still be ready for school regardless of late-night activities. The government's stance appears nuanced; while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has permitted pubs to remain open until 05:00 for the match, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has not explicitly endorsed late school openings, though she stated she would not seek to control individual school decisions, emphasising the importance of pupil attendance.
The decision by schools like Annfield Plain Infant School in Stanley, County Durham, to keep their register open later until 10:00, or Castle Hill Primary School in Basingstoke which reportedly adopted similar policies for previous group stage matches, reflects a growing trend among some educational establishments. These schools aim to strike a balance between supporting national enthusiasm for the World Cup and ensuring a positive start to the school day for their pupils.
The match itself holds significant importance for England's World Cup journey; a loss would see them exit the tournament. Many fans are hopeful for a decisive victory, or at least a less tense outcome than their recent last-gasp win against the Democratic Republic of Congo.