Schools adopt 'flexible approach' for England game

Some schools across the region are adopting a "flexible approach" to when pupils arrive for class on Monday if England's World Cup game against Mexico goes ahead in the early hours as planned.

Cottingham High School in East Yorkshire said lessons would start at the usual time but "pupils arriving up to 11.25am will be marked as present for the morning session".

Kevin Rowlands, head teacher at Winterton Community Academy in North Lincolnshire, said: "We're already fighting a losing battle if we're just trying to maintain usual expectations."

But it remains to be seen whether that flexibility will be needed, as it emerged on Friday that the game might be moved from 01:00 BST to 19:00 on Sunday.

Speaking before news that the kick-off time might be brought forward, Rowlands said: "We've just taken a flexible approach and said to our students that... the expectation's to arrive as normal.

"However, equally, [there's] some flexibility. If you are a little bit later, as long as you're still able to attend school, then all's good with us."

England head coach Thomas Tuchel told a press conference he supported the idea of children watching the game.

"Write an excuse for school and let them watch football," he said.

"Come on, there's so much school to go to, but we'll have this every four years. Let them watch. There will be a big, big match."

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told the BBC she would prefer children to attend school.

"You know, I'm not going to make requests on parents around bedtime – they can decide what's best for their family – but please let's try and get our kids in on the Monday, too," she said.

Rowlands said his school was ready to deal with the students' emotions should the result not go England's way.

"I'm confident that, win or lose, they'll appreciate they've had the opportunity to watch it," he said.

"There's every chance they'll be too tired to be too grumpy, but we'll cope."

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