4: Do later start times actually make a difference to student outcomes?

After finishing a fascintating book called Why We Sleep by Prof. Matt Walker, I found myself trying to help a student get started on her exam revision in a visual arts cover lesson. She tells me she's had 4 hours sleep because she went to bed at midnight but had to set an alarm for 4am to finish an English task due that day. She isn't very hopeful that the revision will stick, and neither am I. In this episode, I provide no final answers but enjoy having a good chat about the science of sleep, and how good sleep does seem to improve student outcomes. Literature etc. I consulted for this episode includes: Wahlstrom, K., Dretzke, B., Gordon, M., Peterson, K., Edwards, K., & Gdula, J. (2014). Examining the impact of later school start times on the health and academic performance of high school students: A multi-site study . Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota. Owens, J. A., Belon, K., & Moss, P. (2010). Impact of delaying school start time on adolescent sleep, mood, and behavior. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 164 (7), 608–614. Minges, K. E., & Redeker, N. S. (2016). Delayed school start times and adolescent sleep: A systematic review of the experimental evidence. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 28 , 82–91. University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry. (2018). Department faculty highlight the role of adolescent sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions in risk . Sleep Foundation. (2023). Later school start times . Bowers, J. M., & Moyer, C. A. (2020). Effects of school start time on students' sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, and attendance: A meta-analysis. Sleep Health, 6 (3), 303–311. Owens, J. A., & Weiss, M. R. (2025). Behavioral sleep problems in children . UpToDate. Edutopia. (2023). School start time changes benefit sleep . If you have a topic you would like covered, write to me: hello@spongeeducation.com . Visit the website:

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4: Do later start times actually make a difference to student outcomes? is an episode from Diary of a Teacher by Sarah Durack.

This episode is 12:33 long.

This episode was published on Jan 27, 2026.

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