School break times have been getting shorter over the past two decades, as teachers try to pack more lessons into the day, a new long-term study suggests.

The Government claims that it is giving schools ‘autonomy’ to make decisions about how they structure the school day. As though the decisions are devoid of the need to satisfy Ofsted inspections and league table position.

Obsession with exams is forcing schools to restrict the curriculum and cut back on activities like art, drama and music.

Even in our lovely, progressive local state primary school, music was the first casualty of budget cutbacks. My child was in the first cohort of kids in Year 3 who would no longer be offered an instrument to play. Haringey’s subsidised music service scheme does a fantastic job of filling the gap to some extent. But, anecdotally, it is mainly the middle class kids, whose parents know how to find it, that benefit.

I was touring local state secondary schools last year and was struck by the quality of the art in one school in particular. It was stunning. I chatted to the exasperated head of department who pointed out it was a constant battle to justify its importance. ‘The focus is on maths and English [at the expense of art]; it’s not just here. It’s the same everywhere now.’ she added.

In Diane Reay’s brilliant ‘Miseducation’ she talks about the importance of cultural capital. Cutting back on art, music, drama and play will impact kids from disadvantaged backgrounds disproportionately. No doubt the obsession with exams, and cramming, will be seen as ‘offering more opportunities for all’ and ‘levelling the playing field’. Instead it will further entrench disadvantage.

I was the first in my family to go to university. I studied film and photography. My love of art and imagery was in part fuelled by my mother. Not directly. My mum will be 80 this year and apart from my degree show has never set foot inside a gallery. No. She was a cleaner. I would often go to the homes where she cleaned. One lovely family had an amazing collection of art books and posters from exhibitions. It sparked something in me. You could say I vicariously benefited from cultural capital.

Art, music, drama and play are not feckless activities that get in the way of learning – they facilitate it.

There isn’t a single divergence of opinion about the importance of exercise to counter depression. We know that there are soaring rates of mental illness among young people. Instead of cutting back play we should be offering more play, more sport, more creative subjects.

In Dr Peter Gray’s compelling TEDx talk: ‘The decline of play and rise of mental disorders’ he looks at the impact of the continuous erosion of children’s opportunities to play. He argues we are creating a ‘worse world’ for children. He cites the doubling of suicide rates among 15-24 year olds and a quadrupling for those aged 15 and under. He talks about the decline in children’s locus of control (important for mental well-being) and decline in creative thinking.

We are removing self-directed play, stifling innovation and creativity and their educative powers. I am struck by the number of signs around secondary schools about not talking in the corridors, walking in a particular way, having your tie measured to a certain point. Children have more exams than ever, more homework than ever and now evidence of fewer hours of play.

The Government has now introduced tests for 4 year olds. No doubt encouraging some schools to cut back further on play to ensure better test results. The justification will be around improving standards for all and ‘bridging the gap’. The research published recently and the rise of mental ill health among children should caution against this obsession with testing and exams.  The only playing field it may level is the one that ensures an equal amount of unhappiness amongst children of all backgrounds.