Commenting as Welsh Government announce a formal consultation into reforming the school year, Laura Doel, National Secretary of NAHT Cymru, said:

“We are bewildered as to why this consultation is taking place. No evidence has yet been presented that changing the school year would have any educational benefit for learners. And the previous consultation on this subject showed there was no real appetite for change, from parents, educators, businesses or the general public. So why is this continuing to be pushed as a priority right now?

“NAHT Cymru firmly believes that the basis of any reform should ensure the best provision and outcomes for learners. In fact, the little evidence available on school holidays shows that countries with much longer summer breaks than Wales have higher levels of attainment and suffer no significant loss of learning.

“With so much going on in schools right now, with a new curriculum, ALN reform, and severe recruitment and retention and funding crises, this just isn’t a priority for schools. Welsh Government would be better served in focusing on providing support to teachers and learners, and helping schools deliver current reforms, before embarking on any further changes to education.

“When school staff are being made redundant to balance the books, when schools should be prioritising delivering quality education to learners, and when we are deeply concerned about the recruitment and retention crisis, this should not be a priority for government.

“Additionally, we are concerned to see the inclusion of an implementation date in this consultation – it seems to beg the question whether this is a true consultation, or has the government made up its mind already?”