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Original poster

Gove : Longer school days and shorter holidays

40 replies

Talkinpeace · 18/04/2013 17:10

I'm impressed - he's got the comment sections of the Guardian and the Telegraph agreeing with each other
www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10003772/Cut-length-of-school-holidays-says-Michael-Gove.html#disqus_thread
www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/18/michael-gove-longer-school-day-holidays
that MP's holidays need cutting first ....

OP posts:
SuffolkNWhat · 18/04/2013 17:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Elibean · 18/04/2013 18:23

My kids are utterly knackered by the end of term as it is.

I would be ok with 4 terms and shorter holidays (but more of them), but longer terms - no. Unless something is done to pace kids, and teachers, differently. Not sure how, though Confused

mybelovedmonster · 18/04/2013 18:24

Ugh.. crap idea

AThingInYourLife · 18/04/2013 18:34

I thought the Tories loved the 19th Century.

wordfactory · 18/04/2013 18:39

Well of course he is right about the effect of long holidays on DC from disadvantaged backgrounds.

There has been research done on it which shows that after every long holiday disadvantaged DC go backwards whilst advantaged kids go forwards.

The KIPP schools in the states have longer days and shorter holidays to combat this and their results are stellar.

The left have been toying with this idea for a while now, but never dared cross the teaching unions Wink. Gove might quite enjoy that!

HumphreyCobbler · 18/04/2013 18:40

but how will they afford the increase in wage bill?

SuffolkNWhat · 18/04/2013 18:43

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LongWordsBotherMe · 18/04/2013 18:45

I can see the advantages for many children, but it would make me less likely to return to teaching. I like to spend time with my own children too!

pillowcase · 18/04/2013 18:46

Funny, in France we're moving next Sept to shorter school days. Moving from 4 to 4.5 days again and still wondering how Finland manages it.

HumphreyCobbler · 18/04/2013 18:47

I would feel very sorry for my children to be forced to go to school all through the summer, it would be miserable for them not to have some time where they didn't have to go to school.

I am rather glad not to be a teacher any more. I bloody wouldn't work an extra month for no pay either.

jellybeans · 18/04/2013 18:49

I would rather home school than have my kids in school all hours. They have a long enough day already! School should not be seen as childcare.

wordfactory · 18/04/2013 18:56

piloow don't hold France up as a shininge xample, please.

The education there is not great. Very basic. Very grey. Parents spend a lot of time and money on extras!

Original poster
Talkinpeace · 18/04/2013 19:00

so if long holidays are bad, then boarding schools must be rubbish ...

OP posts:
AuntieStella · 18/04/2013 19:01

As I've already posted on the threads in AIBU and In The News: this isn't a Goveism - it's a recycled Brown govt policy that's been around since at least 2009 (and I think before, as Scottish Exec has been studying it since 2005) loosely based on the US KIPP programme.

It's one of those cyclical ideas in education that all parties support at some point, but none ever introduces.

purpleroses · 18/04/2013 19:03

The argument often made for a shorter summer holiday is that kids forget stuff over the summer. But I think this isn't helped my most schools spending most of the last half term - post SATS - doing all the none-core stuff like school plays, field trips, sports contests, etc - so the kids don't do a lot of core maths/English for more like 2/3 months. If they put the SATS right at the very end of term (ie the last few days) they'd stop this - the schools could spread their none-core stuff around a lot more, and kids wouldn't forget stuff over the summer as much.

Longer school days would leave less time for other activities, which would be a shame, especially in the winter when daylight is scarce. Would seem better to be exploring more innovative ways of online learning that kids can do from home in their own time (with extra support available in schools for those without access at home) - much more efficient and flexible than simply locking them in a classroom for longer.

Original poster
Talkinpeace · 18/04/2013 19:03

Gove says its his ....
he's invited the NUT to set up a free school

then again Broon was a fuckwit of the first order too (he was the one who planeed the £10m maggie fest as well)

OP posts:
HeathRobinson · 18/04/2013 19:04

How is this 'family friendly'?

inkyfingers · 18/04/2013 19:05

But independents have always had longer holidays and they're doing just fine. I know they have a longer day, but Gove's going for longer days and shorter hols. Glad mine are well into secondary now :(

MandragoraWurzelstock · 18/04/2013 19:15

Their model is all parents working, all kids in childcare. That's what's behind this - free nursery places for 2yos was a step too far imo but this is just part of the plan that means children are kind of catered for en masse, while their parents work all hours.

It's like a bloody farm.

QuintessentialOHara · 18/04/2013 20:08

Would it not be better if they gave parents longer holidays?

In Norway you have to take a minimum of two consecutive weeks (out of 5 week allowance) every summer. Each family of two parents then usually end up taking 3 consequtive weeks. This way summer holidays looks like this.
1-2 week school club (or other arranged activity) 1 week with mum (or dad) 2 weeks with both parents (usually going away somewhere, preferably somewhere sunny) 1 week with dad (or mum), finally 1-2 week school club, then back to school, having had 8 weeks holidays.

The summer is the main time of year for young people or (long term) unemployed people to gain valuable work experience, as a seasonal worker, with a good rate of pay, and chances of being kept on.

exoticfruits · 18/04/2013 20:19

I think that I would want to HE my DCs rather than take away their childhood. Good teachers will also leave in droves.

pugsandseals · 18/04/2013 20:19

Certain questions need answering first like:-

  • are rules on taking pupils (& teachers for that matter) out during term time going to be relaxed so we can all get reasonably priced holidays?
  • when will all the extra-curricular out of school things like ballet, swimming, music lessons happen? Many creative arts will be lost for good if all the specialist self employed experts are given no time to work
  • when will musicians practice?
  • when will parents spend time with their kids? Weekends only?
marinagasolina · 18/04/2013 20:55

As a secondary school teacher, I think it's ridiculous that in this country someone with no teaching experience whatsoever can be minister for education. But of course Mr Gove knows all about teaching, because he went to school Hmm

KeishaMae · 18/04/2013 21:41

My son who is 16 is at a boarding school in oxford... They have 10 weeks summer compared to the 6 at state school, 4 weeks at Christmas compared to the 2, and 3 at Easter compared to the 2. They also have the same regular half terms.. However they have a mixture of long and short days and work till 12:30 on a Saturday. This seems to work fantastically well. I think state schools should try and adopt a similar method. I think teachers would prefer the extra 5 hours in the week than shorter holidays.

fishoils · 18/04/2013 22:35

I will homeschool if this ever happens.