This international policy brief examines how high-performing school systems around the world structure time differently from the standard US (and Australian) model, with implications for Grades 1–9. Key findings include that shorter class periods (40–45 minutes) are common in top systems; many organise their week rather than their day; regular breaks are built into policy as a requirement; and time allocations across subjects vary significantly by stage, reflecting different developmental priorities. The brief also examines how systems use time to develop student agency, build community, and extend learning beyond the school day. It challenges the assumption that the inherited timetable is a fixed constraint, presenting it instead as a design choice with direct consequences for engagement.