What would it take for schools to start later?

The study, which involves academics from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, brings together the views of students, parents, teachers and other people involved in schools and education. The full research article can be read online.

The research realises that teenagers are more likely to have later sleep patterns than younger children, with many getting insufficient sleep. Poor sleep can affect wellbeing, mental health, cognitive functioning and educational outcomes.

Delaying school start times for students in Years 12 and 13 could be one way to address the issue, but changing the school day involves much more than moving the first bell.

Associate Professor Mohamed Alansari from Massey's Institute of Education is a co-investigator on the study, which brings together expertise from education, psychology, health sciences and Indigenous research across Massey, the University of Otago and the University of Auckland.

Dr Alansari brings expertise in educational research, and a detailed understanding of how schools operate, to the project.

He says that perspective is important because research conducted in schools needs to account for the realities of school communities, including their policies, priorities and leadership structures.

"Schools have a lot going on, so we need to understand how they operate and what is important to them. We also need to understand the role school leaders play in driving changes such as delaying school start times," he says.

The study found there are potential opportunities for schools considering later starts, but also significant practical considerations.

Flexible timetabling, support from school leaders and boards of trustees, and the potential to move school transport outside peak traffic periods were identified as factors that could support implementation.

Transport is often viewed as a barrier to changing school start times, but it was also seen by some stakeholders as an opportunity. Starting later could mean school travel takes place outside peak periods, potentially reducing congestion and making commutes shorter and safer.

At the same time, schools would need to consider pressure on resources, teacher workload, extracurricular activities, employment, caregiving arrangements and impacts on whānau.

The researchers also found some participants were unaware that delaying school start times was an option available to schools.

For Dr Alansari, that points to another potential benefit of the research: opening up conversations about approaches schools could consider to support student wellbeing.

The research also highlighted the importance of how changes are introduced.

Rather than treating later starts solely as a way to improve sleep, stakeholders suggested framing them around broader student wellbeing. The researchers say this could help schools consider how a change to the school day fits with the wider needs of their students and communities.

The findings have informed a guide for schools considering delayed starts, with advice covering operational structures as well as student and staff wellbeing.

The researchers recommend schools work with their communities, neighbouring schools and transport providers when considering changes, while also taking into account the potential impacts on whānau, caregiving, extracurricular activities, employment and teacher workload.

Cultural context and equity are also important considerations, particularly for Māori and Pacific students and their whānau.

Dr Alansari says the research reinforces that there is no single approach that will work for every school.

"Later school starts are not simply a scheduling change. They depend on how school systems, support services and student wellbeing are balanced within each school context."

The research is particularly relevant to Aotearoa New Zealand because much of the existing evidence on later school starts comes from the United States (US).

New Zealand secondary schools generally start later than those in the US, yet New Zealand adolescents continue to experience insufficient sleep. The researchers say this highlights the need for evidence that reflects the New Zealand education system and the communities schools serve.

The project also demonstrates the value of bringing different disciplines together to examine a complex issue.

Through the cross-disciplinary research process, Dr Alansari was able to advise on the educational measures used in the project and how the research could be conducted appropriately within school settings.

He says bringing together researchers from different disciplines allowed the team to consider the issue from a range of perspectives. Their cross-disciplinary collaboration had already resulted in scholarly contributions appearing in various disciplinary journals such as the New Zealand Medical Journal, Behavioural Sleep Medicine and Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences.

"It’s about bringing together our different walks of life, experiences, expertise and disciplines, and our relationships and connections to the heart of the project," he says.

For schools considering a later start, the research suggests the question is not simply whether students would benefit from more time in bed. It is whether schools can design a change that supports student wellbeing while working for their staff, whānau and wider communities.

The team welcomes queries from schools interested in future collaborations focused on delaying school start times and improving teenagers’ sleep health. Please contact Dr Mohamed Alansari.