The government has warned schools in England against sending children home this winter to save on energy bills.
It comes amid reports that some schools are considering three or four days a week to save money.
A school leaders’ union said BBC schools were unlikely to introduce shorter weeks, but other cuts are possible given rising energy bills.
This could result in larger class sizes or delays in construction projects, the union said.
Like businesses, schools are not subject to the price cap on household energy bills, and many will face large price hikes.
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School budgets in England are set to increase by 7% per pupil this year as part of a long-term funding scheme – but school leaders warn that this may not cover projected increases in energy prices and higher staff costs.
Schools have been asked to use the existing education budget to cover recently announced salary increases for teachers and other staff.
Over the weekend, the Sunday Telegraph reported that some school leaders were considering shortening the school week to three or four days to save money.
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said it has yet to hear from schools planning to do so, adding it was “unlikely”.
General Secretary Geoff Barton said shortening the school week would bring only “relatively marginal” savings and was “unpopular with families”.
But he warned schools still face “difficult decisions” to cover costs as principals look at hiring freezes, the suspension of construction projects and likely “larger class sizes in the future” to save money.
A third of respondents to a National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) survey in April said they expected energy costs to drive budget deficits by the end of the year.
Schools reported reduced spending on teachers or tuition and building maintenance as savings measures they were considering.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said the increase in bills for some schools was “equivalent to the cost of one full-time teacher” and that rising bills would almost certainly have a “negative impact on education”.
The Department of Education said it expects all schools to be “open mornings and afternoons five days a week,” adding that regular attendance is “vital to children’s education, development and well-being.”
A spokesman said around 70% of schools are already offering a 32.5-hour week within existing budgets.
In March, the Government released guidance that all mainstream state-funded schools in England should be open for at least 32.5 hours a week by September 2023.
“Schools should plan their budgets in line with this minimum expectation,” they added.
Schools in England run by local authorities are required by law to be open 190 days a year, which equates to five days a week over a 38-week school year.
The same obligation does not apply to academies, but they are expected to do so under government guidance.
Schools Inspector Ofsted has the power to force schools to justify a shorter week if she feels it is affecting the quality of education on offer.
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