School opens early to screen match for 200 pupils

6 hours ago

Henry Godfrey-Evansin Billericay

News image — More than 200 children turned up to watch the England game before school

Henry Godfrey-Evans/BBC The back of a large hall full of children watching the england game on a screen — More than 200 children turned up to watch the England game before school

More than 200 children made their way into school early to watch England's dramatic World Cup victory on a big screen.

Buttsbury Primary School in Billericay, Essex, made breakfast for the pupils and set up a screen in their gymnasium for the young fans to see England play Mexico.

Yet 10-year-old Jude said he still was not able to resist the urge to push back his bedtime.

"I got to see all the goals again, because I stayed up and watched [the game] and I got to see all the goals again with my mates that didn't watch it," he said.

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The 10-year-old said he wore a number 10 football shirt to match his inspiration, Jude Bellingham.

"[Bellingham] drives with the ball really well and gets loads of goalscoring opportunities," Jude added.

Henry Godfrey-Evans/BBC A child standing in front of a goal with a number 10 England top on. — Jude says it feels "really special" to share the name of England number 10 Jude Bellingham

Freya, 11, said the 01:00 BST kick-off time was "too late" for her to stay up, but watching the game with her schoolfriends was "really fun" and a new experience.

"I don't think we've ever done it together," she said.

Zachary, 10, said he "really enjoyed" seeing the game with his classmates and credited Mexico, who had put up a "hard challenge".

Molly, 10, said she caught up on the game's highlights before coming to school, but loved rewatching it with her classmates.

"It was a really good idea because we got to celebrate with our friends," she said.

Henry Godfrey-Evans/BBC A young girl with a red sports top on standing in front of a goal and smiling. — Freya, 11, plays football and gets frustrated when the players "do the wrong thing" on the pitch

On Wednesday, England manager Thomas Tuchel urged parents to let their children stay up for the game and "write an excuse for school".

Ann Robinson, Buttsbury Primary School's head teacher, disagreed with this advice, adding: "He might be the England manager but I'm the head teacher of the school."

Robinson said she was out jogging when she had the idea of screening the game's highlights at school - and added that everything had gone "brilliantly".

"It was important to me because I wanted the children to be able to watch the football, but equally they are at school to learn and I know that children that don't get any sleep on Monday morning really aren't good kids by Friday.

"We've never done anything as radical as this, but I would definitely do it again 100%," she said.