Home Debate Club: Should the school day be longer to make up for lost learning?

 
Catching up is good as you will be able to understand future learning better.
— - Student from Barking Abbey School

As practice we at Smart School Councils try not to guess at what the results of Home Debate Club will be. While we have our ideas of what might be the eventual winner, we typically wait for young people to inform us,as we are constantly enthralled at the responses and reasonings students give in Home Debate Club. Our half-term debate, though, did leave us going ‘That was unexpected.’

With close to 2,000 young people participating, the final result on whether or not to extend the school day was Yes.

National result:

Sixty-one percent of debaters decided that the school day should be longer to make up for lost learning during the pandemic.

Regional results:

Yes is in green while No is in grey.

Did the results in your region surprise you? Tweet @HomeDebateClub and let us know why!

There was plenty of great reasoning to go around in this debate. We’ve pulled our two favourite reasons for each side to share!

Yes ✅

I think there should be more time at school is because we need to earn back all our learning time and knowledge in school because some children are not able to access their accounts videos or zoom calls so we need more time to study! And you never know some children can be struggling you just won’t see it sometimes!
— - Student from Baden-Powell School School
Extending the day for just 30 min is enough time to finish off their learning and it will let all the kids catch up on lost work and it will only be for 1 term.
— Student from Hampton Hill Junior School

No ❌

Personally , I think many students especially the older ones hate the thought of going to school. Coronavirus, the cancelling of exams and having to learn from home, is in no way shape or form our fault. Therefore I think it’s highly unfair to extend the days especially when the school days are already draining.
— Student from The St Lawrence Academy
I think no because children adults and teachers are all working hard enough and what the teachers are doing is amazing
— Student from George White Junior School

Don’t forget to get in on our next debate!

Home Debate Club will continue to be holding nationwide debates throughout lockdown and beyond! Get in on our latest debate here 👇

Got a suggestion for a Home Debate Club Question? Send it to membership@smartschoolcouncils.org.uk

 
 
 
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Home Debate Club: Should having the internet be a human right?

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Home Debate Club: Is the coronavirus and the pandemic being focused on too much?