Professor Ted Wragg, educationist and TEScolumnist, says: “The key to this idea is supervision. This system would have to be very carefully supervised so there is no possibility that someone could sneak out of the school.

“There is also the question of accountability. Children would have to report back to their teacher on what they have done. Some children are adept at not doing anything for a sizeable period of time. I think, therefore, it should be a privilege for children who have shown they can handle it. However, if the school site is fully secure and fully supervised, then it could be a valuable lesson in life.

“For most of adult life we have to be autonomous and there is no harm in starting to learn to use that autonomy at an early age.”