Overview

• The petition passed 100,000 signatures, prompting a formal government response and consideration for a parliamentary debate.
• The Department for Education reiterated a minimum school week of 32 hours and 30 minutes for state-funded mainstream schools.
• A four-day timetable meeting that minimum would require an extra 1 hour 38 minutes per day, pushing days beyond eight hours.
• The government warned that a shorter week could force parents to seek additional childcare or reduce work, with knock-on economic impacts.
• Campaigners and unions highlight teacher workload and retention pressures, citing OECD data showing nearly one in ten UK teachers left the profession in 2022–23, with proposals such as remote planning days and staggered hours.