Overhaul of the 'Victorian' school calendar would see summer holidays cut and half terms extended.
The report says that calls to reduce the length of holidays often centre around potential learning loss over the summer. Some pupils, especially those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional learning needs, find it difficult to get back to learning after long summer holidays. This results in the autumn term being devoted to revision rather than advancing learning. Teachers also report more behavioural and wellbeing issues after the summer break.
The call for changes follows proposals by the Welsh government for changes to its school year starting in 2025-26, initially cutting the summer break to five weeks with a longer half-term in autumn. That could be followed by more radical measures, such as a further reduction to four weeks' holiday in summer, and adjusting the timing of the Easter holidays.
The report notes that several school trusts and local authorities in England have already introduced a two-week autumn half-term break, or have incorporated staff training days into one week instead of being spread across the year.
