Some schools allow kids late start on Monday after Euro final, amid calls for bank holiday

Some schools in England have given permission for children to come in late after staying up to watch the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night.

It comes as ministers have come under pressure to grant a flexible start day on Monday, or even a bank holiday, so football fans can celebrate England’s victory or recover from their defeat.

The team will face Italy in the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday night with kick-off at 8pm.

The match will be over by 10pm if settled in 90 minutes but if it goes to extra time and potentially penalty shoot-outs then it could finish closer to 11pm.

A Facebook post by Rossmere Primary School in Hartlepool went viral after teachers told parents that children could come into school at 10.30am if they stay up late, calling the football match a “learning opportunity”.

Other schools have quickly followed suit with some saying parents can choose for their kids to arrive at normal hours or have a lie-in.

Gemma Donnelly, headmistress at Braywick Court School in Bray, Berkshire, has given children the option of a later start with a message on the school website calling the game, “a great family occasion”.

Coates Lane Primary School in Lancashire also gave parents the option to let the kids come in at 10.30am, saying on Facebook: “We would rather have children rested and in school ready to learn rather than absent all day or grumpy!”

Gisburn Road Community Primary School gave the green-light for a lie-in too, before thanking nearby Rossmere primary for the idea.

Among those also joining the trend was Heathfield Primary School in Darlington which added that it will “allow children to wear red/white clothing, football shirts or non-uniform on Monday”.

The wave of schools offering time off has been gaining momentum over the past two days amid calls for the government to make Monday a national holiday.

A petition pushing for the day to be a bank holiday if England win has garnered more than 325,000 signatures as of 12.30pm on Friday.

Many businesses have also offered workers a late start or the whole day off for football fans to nurse their hangovers.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the game would be a “historic moment” for the country.

General secretary Frances O’Grady added: “Bosses should talk to their staff about flexible working arrangements ahead of Monday morning – perhaps allowing them to start later and claim back their time afterwards.

“And bosses should show flexibility too towards the 2.2 million workers who work on a Sunday – many of them key workers.

“Many of them will want to watch the match, and they should be able to, either at work or by finishing early and making up the time.”

But a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We would want businesses who feel able to consider it if they can, but we recognise it will vary depending on the business and company.”

He added: “I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of Sunday’s match. Clearly we want England to go all the way and win the final, and then we will set out our plans in due course.”

Read Entire Article