Commenting on a report leaked to The Times revealing that the government may plan to add additional time to the school day for recovery, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“The government must be mindful of the trade-offs and unintended consequences of any recovery idea being proposed. The marginal gains that might be possible through extending the school day must be weighed against the costs of such a strategy, including the impact on pupils’ mental health, reduced family time and less time for extra-curricular activities.

“The government could end up doing more harm than good by adding more classroom hours to children’s school day.

“The government must also realise that the success of any big ideas about recovery, including additional school hours, relies on equally ambitious funding from the Treasury.”