Concerns have been raised by families over schools moving to a two-week October half-term.
Growing numbers of academy trusts in the county are adopting the extended break to "support staff and pupil wellbeing", but it has raised fresh worries about childcare for working parents.
Unity Schools Partnership, which runs 40 schools in the east of England, has seen a fall in the number of days lost to sickness absence for staff since introducing a two-week break in 2023.
Dominic Norrish, chief executive of Unity, said the move to a longer half term appears to be “increasingly popular,” and he has heard of more trusts introducing it in Norfolk.
He said: “I think as soon as one trust locally moves, it seems to be that other trusts follow because it does make sense for lots of reasons if you can prove the impact.”
But Mr Norrish acknowledged that the change is “not universally popular” with families.
He added: “It creates a longer time when children are not in school, which is particularly challenging for working parents, and we have received that feedback as well."
Childcare organisations have echoed those concerns.
Lydia Hodges, head of the Coram Family and Childcare charity, said: "Holiday childcare costs an average of £191 per week in Great Britain, which is a substantial cost for many families.
“Where schools are instead making up the education hours in a different way, for example by having longer days throughout the term, this can mean an additional week of childcare costs for parents every year.”
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "While we stipulate the minimum number of days a school must be open for per year, local leaders and schools themselves are given the flexibility to set school term and holiday dates in the interests of pupils and their parents."
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