Responding to a new report from the Education Policy Insitute (EPI) looking at links between the length of the school day and educational outcomes, Ian Hartwright, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“This report confirms that as we have long argued, most schools already open for at least 32.5 hours - and they did so before this guidance was first mooted.

“The small number of schools which do not already open for 32.5 hours are usually minutes rather than hours from reaching this threshold. There’s little evidence to suggest that adding 5 to 10 minutes to the school day is likely to bring much, if any benefit and this report does not consider the logistical challenges involved, such as increasing the hours of lunchtime supervisors and other support staff, and taking into account school bus times, especially in rural areas.

"We should be mindful that the gains identified in this particular piece of research are minimal, confirming that an extension of school hours is unlikely to be the ‘game-changer’ the previous government implied it could be. There are a whole range of alternative policy options that policy-makers should look at instead.

“The last government’s focus on this policy seemed odd and a distraction from tackling the real issues facing schools including the recruitment and retention crisis, support for pupils with special educational needs, and the state of school buildings. We welcome the new administration’s recognition of the need to address these issues and stand ready to work with ministers to do just that.”