Let’s face it, many of us would applaud the idea of a four-day working week. Who wouldn’t want a midweek break every Wednesday to catch up with work or even - heaven forbid - have a rest?

That’s why, as a parent living in France, I’m delighted to learn that President Emmanuel Macron has decided to reinstate this option for nursery and primary schools.

In giving communes (the most local form of government) the right to reinstate the four-day model, Macron is not reducing teaching hours. Schools that opt for a shorter school week will still be required to provide the requisite 24 hours of tuition, crammed into four days rather than spread over five.

One of the reasons given for François Hollande’s introduction of the five-day model in 2013 was the belief that children tend to be more receptive in the morning - it was hoped that having school on an extra morning would lead to educational improvement. At the same time, additional extracurricular activities (temps d’activités périscolaires) were introduced for curriculum enrichment, giving pupils the opportunity to take part in activities ranging from sport to clay modelling - the exact nature of which is decided by the school and by the availability of local specialists.

It would be a pity - as some I know fear - if the result of reverting to a four-day week was that these activities were eventually phased out. However, there is already a wealth of (often subsidised) clubs and activities - from kayaking on the river to circus skills - that children can participate in on Wednesday afternoons in their local area. Ideally, the curriculum enrichment will continue within the new model, but if it is phased out children will still have the chance to participate in creative or sporting activities.

The main benefit of a four-day week is, clearly, the likely improvement in children’s energy levels. Having seen my eldest negotiate her early schooling on the four-day model, and three of my other children attend five days per week, I feel that the four-day model provides a gentler introduction to school life, without loss of attainment.

Wellbeing benefits

I also believe that giving children a four-day week is a reflection of the fact that while education is an important part of childhood, it’s not the be-all-and-end-all. With stress levels and mental ill health in young people a growing concern, it’s important to give children a balance, and a little of what the French calll’art de vivre - the art of living well. Perhaps a five-day week prepares children for the “real world” but under the age of 11 surely they should be protected from the pressure and fatigue that all-too-often accompany adult life?

Indeed, in addition to the benefits for children, higher energy levels for teachers should also lead to improved classroom standards. Many teachers in the UK will be only too familiar with the fatigue that creeps in over the course of the school week and how it effects teaching performance come Friday afternoon. Being a teacher is very much like being on the stage - and not many plays run without the respite of an interval.

In a four-day week, bureaucracy, admin and marking also become more straightforward - with the week divided into two tidy halves, and a day in the middle for professional development, preparation, meetings and all the other stuff. When I was a teacher in England, I was meticulous, but I still found the marking piling up or I lay awake at night worrying about admin. Imagine having a day clear to jump through the bureaucratic hoops, leaving other days free to concentrate on teaching the best lessons possible.

“That’s all very well,” I hear you cry. “But what about working parents?” The five-day week has only run in France for four years, and already parents are expressing concerns about the logistics of making another change. And in theory, giving children a day off in the middle of the week could prove an organisational challenge.

However, in France childcare provision is excellent, and parents have a range of affordable options at their disposal. Holiday day-care is already heavily subsidised, with children attending for as little as €3 (around £2.70) per day, with lunch thrown in, through the summer. Those paying full price will still only have to find around €11 a day for activities, supervision and a three-course meal.

Based on the circumstances in 2013, it is likely that a similar provision will be brought in for children who require supervision on Wednesdays. In fact, I have no doubt that in communes that opt for the four-day model, this care can easily be extended to cover an entire day.

For parents in France who would prefer their child to be cared for in a home environment on a Wednesday, an assistantematernelle (childminder) can be employed. Again, this care is subsidised, with hourly tariffs as low as €2.07 (around £1.86) per hour.

Others, like myself, who are self-employed may need to be a little flexible in their working arrangements; potentially putting more pressure on the other four days in the week. But having weighed up the pros and cons, and despite the fact I will now have to reorganise my own schedule to free up Wednesdays - or beaver away at my laptop while being climbed on by small children, I am delighted at Macron’s decision.

Education is important, but it shouldn’t completely dominate children’s lives - and a little respite in the middle of the week will do us all the world of good.

Gillian Harvey is a teacher and freelance writer based in France