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Changes to School Holiday Duration in the UK

jimmymelrosejimmymelrose
in Not Sports Related
I just looked out of curiosity to find that the UK summer school holidays are only 5.5 weeks this year. I then found articles such as that below arguing for as little as a four week holiday, with 2 weeks off, instead of one, to compensate in October and February. 

My children have always been to school in France where the summer holidays are 8-10 weeks which I think are too long, but any less than 6 weeks seems stingy to me.  

I was wondering how parents in the UK feel about this.

 https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/26/school-summer-holidays-half-term-england-calendar-nuffield-foundation-report?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
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Comments

  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    cafcnick1992 said:
    As someone who can't stand children, this is excellent news
    That has properly done me 🤣
  • valleynick66valleynick66
    The 2 weeks in October has been adopted by many schools for a long time. 

    As a parent it didn’t create any benefit. It was introduced alongside some changes to the daily school start / finish times. 
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    So my Son breaks up next Tuesday, he'll be heading back to School on 3rd September.

    That is still six weeks holiday.

    What a few schools appear to be doing around here (Medway) is they're having a two week Half-Term in October, and condensing all the Teacher Training Days into that second week, so there is none of this extra day of Holiday latched on throughout the school year.
  • Todds_right_hookTodds_right_hook
    ForeverAddickted said:
    So my Son breaks up next Tuesday, he'll be heading back to School on 3rd September.

    That is still six weeks holiday.

    What a few schools appear to be doing around here (Medway) is they're having a two week Half-Term in October, and condensing all the Teacher Training Days into that second week, so there is none of this extra day of Holiday latched on throughout the school year.
    Same. Although there are a couple of teacher training days at the beginning of September which technically means 5.5 holiday + teacher training.
  • bobmunrobobmunro
    Summer holidays at the Poly were 7 weeks and I usewd to rib my mates who went to other secondary schools when they had to go back a week earlier! Only 2 day half-terms though.

    There is an argument that a six week break from formal education can lead to learning loss, particularly at critical times between years 5 & 6 and years 10 & 11.
  • gmantaxigmantaxi
    The wife’s a teacher, has the 2 weeks in October, so we always go away for a week in the sun and don’t have to pay silly money like in official term time although guessing only a matter of time till holiday company’s latch on to this .
  • RyloRylo
    edited July 17
    cafcnick1992 said:
    As someone who can't stand their own children, this is excellent news
    Joking, obviously… 👀
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  • SouthWest_AddicksSouthWest_Addicks
    edited July 17
    Would prefer to lose days in the summer and gain them in over times of the year. IMO the price of holidays is the big issue. Holiday companies won’t drop prices, so have to try and do something to make prices more affordable for parents. 

    I personally don’t think there is a big difference between having a 4 weeks holiday & 6 weeks holiday for children. Might be different for the teachers/staff.
  • ElthamaddickElthamaddick
    the summer holidays should be an absolute max of 6 weeks - spread the rest out over the year, if anything reduce the summer by a week - it's a fucking nightmare as a working parent.
  • valleynick66valleynick66
    gmantaxi said:
    The wife’s a teacher, has the 2 weeks in October, so we always go away for a week in the sun and don’t have to pay silly money like in official term time although guessing only a matter of time till holiday company’s latch on to this .
    That was the ‘sell’ from the school. 

    But realistically where do you find as guaranteed sunshine then apart from the Canaries and at a real difference to peak summer prices?
  • gringogringo
    surely if people will have just 4 wks in which to book hols rather than 6, then the prices will go up and holiday time even harder to book.
  • Kap10Kap10
    jimmymelrose said:
    I just looked out of curiosity to find that the UK summer school holidays are only 5.5 weeks this year. I then found articles such as that below arguing for as little as a four week holiday, with 2 weeks off, instead of one, to compensate in October and February. 

    My children have always been to school in France where the summer holidays are 8-10 weeks which I think are too long, but any less than 6 weeks seems stingy to me.  

    I was wondering how parents in the UK feel about this.

     https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/26/school-summer-holidays-half-term-england-calendar-nuffield-foundation-report?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
    Are they keeping to 12 weeks a year?

    Shortening the 6 weeks will put pressure on the costs of holidays for those parents pushing prices up even higher and more conflict about parents taking kids out of school during termtime.
  • cafcnick1992cafcnick1992
    edited July 17
    golfaddick said:
    cafcnick1992 said:
    As someone who can't stand children, this is excellent news
    As someone who's children have all left school I don't give a f**k 😄
    Nothing worse than working all year, taking a day off to go somewhere and its full of kids who have no respect for your personal space, won't shut up and who have parents who won't discipline them properly.

    I think if I worked at Disneyland or Legoland i'd end up at Beachy Head
  • T_C_ET_C_E
    cafcnick1992 said:
    As someone who can't stand children, this is excellent news
    It was you that passed me as I was on route to school this morning wasn’t it? 😉

  • Athletico CharltonAthletico Charlton
    My kids schools went to a 2 week half term in October a few years back and took the week of the summer holidays.  To start I found it a pain but as the world is either too hot (Europe) or full of dreadful weather and hurricanes etc (US/Asia) during the summer then it now makes a lot of sense. Not bothering with a summer holiday this year and going away for 2 weeks October instead.  Better time of Ur to travel and cheaper.
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  • valleynick66valleynick66
    Athletico Charlton said:
    My kids schools went to a 2 week half term in October a few years back and took the week of the summer holidays.  To start I found it a pain but as the world is either too hot (Europe) or full of dreadful weather and hurricanes etc (US/Asia) during the summer then it now makes a lot of sense. Not bothering with a summer holiday this year and going away for 2 weeks October instead.  Better time of Ur to travel and cheaper.
    What destinations do you  recommend for that time of year?
  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    valleynick66 said:
    Athletico Charlton said:
    My kids schools went to a 2 week half term in October a few years back and took the week of the summer holidays.  To start I found it a pain but as the world is either too hot (Europe) or full of dreadful weather and hurricanes etc (US/Asia) during the summer then it now makes a lot of sense. Not bothering with a summer holiday this year and going away for 2 weeks October instead.  Better time of Ur to travel and cheaper.
    What destinations do you  recommend for that time of year?
    Goole
  • MrOneLungMrOneLung
    my boys' school has full 6 week holidays and two weeks in October
    think they extended the working day so they still do the same hours a year
  • msomertonmsomerton
    Kap10 said:
    jimmymelrose said:
    I just looked out of curiosity to find that the UK summer school holidays are only 5.5 weeks this year. I then found articles such as that below arguing for as little as a four week holiday, with 2 weeks off, instead of one, to compensate in October and February. 

    My children have always been to school in France where the summer holidays are 8-10 weeks which I think are too long, but any less than 6 weeks seems stingy to me.  

    I was wondering how parents in the UK feel about this.

     https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/26/school-summer-holidays-half-term-england-calendar-nuffield-foundation-report?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
    Are they keeping to 12 weeks a year?

    Shortening the 6 weeks will put pressure on the costs of holidays for those parents pushing prices up even higher and more conflict about parents taking kids out of school during termtime.
    Why. They will have two weeks in October/November and two weeks in February to have holidays over seas. 
  • usetobunkinusetobunkin
    I took skool Holydaze whe¥ evre I is wonted buy hopppping T he wag. 
    Neder di me anny arm!
  • Athletico CharltonAthletico Charlton
    valleynick66 said:
    Athletico Charlton said:
    My kids schools went to a 2 week half term in October a few years back and took the week of the summer holidays.  To start I found it a pain but as the world is either too hot (Europe) or full of dreadful weather and hurricanes etc (US/Asia) during the summer then it now makes a lot of sense. Not bothering with a summer holiday this year and going away for 2 weeks October instead.  Better time of Ur to travel and cheaper.
    What destinations do you  recommend for that time of year?
    I am looking at Sri Lanka this year. Great time to visit.  If too expensive then the Azores

  • gmantaxigmantaxi
    valleynick66 said:
    gmantaxi said:
    The wife’s a teacher, has the 2 weeks in October, so we always go away for a week in the sun and don’t have to pay silly money like in official term time although guessing only a matter of time till holiday company’s latch on to this .
    That was the ‘sell’ from the school. 

    But realistically where do you find as guaranteed sunshine then apart from the Canaries and at a real difference to peak summer prices?
    Ha that’s exactly where we go , Gran Canaria , last year the non half term week in October worked out about £600 each cheaper than the official one 
  • Rob7LeeRob7Lee
    cafcnick1992 said:
    As someone who can't stand children, this is excellent news
    As someone whose kids are grown up....... but has a wife who works in a school, I agree this is excellent news  :D
  • iainmentiainment
    edited July 18
    It seems that having a holiday is more important than a child’s education to some. 
    Funny old world.
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