“Most schools were delivering a 32.5 hour week even before this was a non-statutory expectation, and those that were not were typically only short of this mark by a matter of minutes.
“Although there is some evidence to suggest that an extended week can be beneficial in certain circumstances, there are a number of questions about how this would be resourced and what it would look like it in practice. The government rollout of free breakfast clubs in primary schools may offer a solution, but it is crucial that this policy is funded and staffed appropriately.
“We believe that getting to grips with major issues such as funding shortages and problems with the recruitment and retention of teachers would have a far greater impact on pupil outcomes than changing the length of the school week.”