The school week to be debated by MPs

• Watch the debate (from 4.30pm, Monday 27 June)
• Read the debate transcript (available shortly after the conclusion of the debate)
• Follow the Committee on Twitter and join the discussion using #SchoolWeekDebate

Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee, will open the debate. MPs from all parties can take part, and the Government will send a minister to respond.

Require schools to make Friday a part of the school weekend

The petition, which has more than 148,000 signatures, states: “Require schools to make Friday a day off school, meaning there will be 3 days that children will get to stay off every week.”

In its response to the petition, provided on 21 April 2022, the Government said: “The government has no plans to require schools to make Friday part of the weekend. Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, well-being and long term development.”

What petitioners think about the school week

To inform the debate, the Committee asked petitioners how they thought making Friday part of the school weekend would affect them. Key findings from the survey included:

• Many of the students who completed the survey said they were struggling to cope with the school week
• Most of the students, parents and teachers who completed the survey thought that making Friday part of the school weekend would be a ‘great idea’
• 92% of students felt having Fridays off school would have a ‘very positive’ or ‘positive’ effect on their mental health
• Students said that if they weren’t in school on Friday, they would be most likely to spend time with family, with friends, and doing homework or studying
• Most parents who completed the survey thought making Friday part of the school weekend would have a ‘very positive’ effect on them and their children
• Several people who completed the survey suggested that longer school days, and online learning, could help to make up for any learning that might be lost if schools were closed on Fridays

Read a full summary of what petitioners told us

What are petitions debates?

Petitions debates are 'general' debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.

Further information

• Find out more about the role of the Petitions Committee
• Find out more about select committees

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