How would you feel about having a four-week summer holiday instead of six? And two weeks off at half-term instead of one?

That’s one proposal in a new report from the Nuffield Foundation, a charity that tries to improve equality in education. The authors say that the school calendar is stuck in “Victorian times” and that the change would make life better for pupils and teachers.

Experts say that divides in education have grown since the Covid pandemic began, with disadvantaged pupils doing less well at school.

One of the report’s authors, Lee Elliot Major, said the changes would boost results for more children, and help parents to spread childcare costs throughout the year.

The authors also say that having two weeks for half-term in February and October will give people a much-needed break, and help to reduce the numbers of people who get sick when colds and flu are going around.