Almost a third of primary schools in France are set to return to a four-day week this month.  

The move comes after local authorities in France were given the freedom to choose between a four-day school week and a four-and-a-half-day week from the start of the academic year.

According to the ministry of education, which confirmed the change this summer, 31.8 per cent of schools have opted for a four-day week - covering 28.7 per cent of primary school pupils.

In 2008 then president Nicolas Sarkozy introduced the four-day school week for primary schools - and many opted for a rest day on Wednesdays.

Cities cautious about taking a rest day 

But in 2013 his successor, François Hollande, reinstated a four-and-a-half day school week.

It is mainly rural areas that have decided to seize this new freedom brought in by new president Emmanuel Macron’s government from this month - although a number of cities have also returned to a four-day week, such as Nice and Cannes.

It has been reported that other major cities wishing to return to the four-day week, such as Marseille, plan to wait until next year to make any changes.

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