Greater Manchester school to let pupils turn up 90 minutes late on Monday after England vs Mexico at 1am
Leaders at Bolton St Catherine’s Academy said they recognised ‘the importance for our pupils’ to watch England vs Mexico
(Image: Bolton St Catherine’s Academy)
Kids at a Bolton school will be allowed to turn up 90 minutes late for classes on Monday if they stay up late to watch England’s early hours World Cup clash with Mexico.
Headteachers at Bolton St Catherine’s Academy (BSCA), which operates both a secondary and primary school at its Stitch Mi Lane site in Harwood, say they wish to give families the chance to watch the overnight fixture together.
Pupils in all year groups can arrive at 10am on Monday, July 6 after England’s 1am kick-off against Mexico. If the round of 16 game extends to extra-time and penalties, the match is only likely to end at around 4am.
Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter
In a letter to parents, secondary head Ryan Mallett and primary headteacher Gareth Watson said the school had ‘high standards for attendance and punctuality’.
However, the teachers added that they ‘also recognise the importance of the opportunity for our pupils to watch the England match and celebrate with their families’. The letter said: “For this reason, on Monday, July 6, we will be offering pupils in all year groups a delayed start of 10am.”
What do you think? Have your say:
Parents and carers who need for their child to be in school at the usual start time of 8.35am can arrive then and start as usual. The school said pupils should use their usual entrance when arriving, with secondary phase gates on Newby Road opening from 9.45am.
The schools’ population includes around 1,020 boys and girls aged three to 16, encompassing both nursery, primary and secondary phases.
The one-off change in hours comes after England coach Thomas Tuchel said parents should ‘write an excuse for school and let them watch’ as England’s knock-out phase journey continues.
The German manager was speaking after the Three Lions’ narrow 2-1 victory over DR Congo on Wednesday.
He said: “There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch.”
