Page 4 | School holiday dates

CantStopMoving · 14/04/2025 13:20

You are describing pretty standard private school holidays tbh. I guess the difference is, private schools will get an extra 2 weeks in the summer on top.

Harrumphhhh · 14/04/2025 13:17

Where are you OP? That doesn’t seem to fit with most English schools, and I didn’t think anywhere else in the UK had so much time at Christmas either…

YourZanyNewt · 14/04/2025 13:16

This sounds like private school holidays? They get extra weeks , as work Saturday mornings? I would go away in the 2nd of the Oct holidays x

FriendofDorothy · 14/04/2025 13:15

Whinge · 14/04/2025 12:54

I'm glad i'm not the only one who is confused. @ackarackaru Are you sure it's 3.5 weeks at Christmas?

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Private school maybe?

MiddleAgedDread · 14/04/2025 13:14

Superhansrantowindsor · 14/04/2025 09:06

I want two weeks in October. 2 weeks at Christmas. One week in feb. One week in May and 5 in the summer.
problem is everyone wants different do some will always be unhappy. But three weeks at Christmas is insane.

parts of Scotland do this - Aberdeenshire and Fife and other agricultural areas where the kids were traditionally needed at home to help with the harvest in Oct. It's known as "tattie picking" holiday.

CaptainMyCaptain · 14/04/2025 13:14

Seachanger · 14/04/2025 09:01

3.5 weeks at Christmas sounds like a nightmare. I've never heard of such a long Christmas break.
What on earth is the rationale behind that?

Edited

Saving on heating and lighting in the school buildings?

These dates are not universal so it's not a government thing. It's either the LA or Academy Trust.

HamAlive · 14/04/2025 13:13

We don't even get 2 week half term holidays, just the bog standard 1 week half terms, 2 weeks Christmas, 2 weeks Easter, 6 weeks summer.

3.5 weeks at Christmas sounds odd, how long are they proposing for summer under this schedule? It can't be long if 6.5 weeks are already used up and there are only 6.5 weeks to spread over Easter, May and summer?

Gollumm · 14/04/2025 13:12

Take a winter holiday in October, temps will still be good and it’ll be cheaper than May prices.

bigageap · 14/04/2025 13:08

Are you in Hockley by any chance!!!

PoppysAunt · 14/04/2025 13:01

Christmastreegremlin · 14/04/2025 12:57

You're obviously relatively affluent.

Many people aren't and find the summer holidays too long and extremely expensive.

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That's true, and a very common complaint on here.

Christmastreegremlin · 14/04/2025 12:57

ackarackaru · 14/04/2025 09:20

Hm yes good point re: GCSEs.

I assumed it was government led, my mistake.

the problem with October is you have to go further afield for decent weather and for me the benefit of more holidays in the summer is you don’t necessarily even have to go abroad. You could holiday in the U.K. which is cheaper, better for our economy etc.

and its not just about going on holiday. It’s child entertainment. The summer is so much nicer - park visits, farm visits, beach visits, hell just go in the garden. Winter? Sit infront of a screen, or trash the house with painting, crafting and baking.

You're obviously relatively affluent.

Many people aren't and find the summer holidays too long and extremely expensive.

Whinge · 14/04/2025 12:54

Qwertyme · 14/04/2025 12:45

I'm confused. If they are allocated 6.5 weeks in the winter months how is the other 6.5 weeks spread over the rest of the year? 2 weeks for Easter, 1 wk for Whitsun, and 3.5 weeks in the summer?

Where in the UK are you?

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I'm glad i'm not the only one who is confused. @ackarackaru Are you sure it's 3.5 weeks at Christmas?

Qwertyme · 14/04/2025 12:45

ackarackaru · 14/04/2025 08:57

My DC school has just announced they’re doing away with our second week in June to align with the rest of the trust schools.

looking at the school holidays, we now have:

2 weeks in october
3.5 weeks at Christmas
1 week in February

so 6.5 weeks during the most miserable, cold, wet time of year

then the rest align with everyone else I expect, Easter, may then summer holidays.

why can’t the government change it so we have longer when the weather is better? One week in October is fine for me, 1 - 1.5 at Christmas, not bothered by February but if the kids need a break then 1 week is fine.

but why can’t we have the other 4 in the summer?! June onwards off would be lovely!

is it just me? Can we start a petition?

im grumpy because i just looked at a week in Mallorca for the May half term next year and its 4.5k (self catering) but the week after (that we used to have) - all inclusive! is 2k. So no holiday for us and lots of weeks stuck inside whilst it lashes down and blows a gale all through winter… yay.

I'm confused. If they are allocated 6.5 weeks in the winter months how is the other 6.5 weeks spread over the rest of the year? 2 weeks for Easter, 1 wk for Whitsun, and 3.5 weeks in the summer?

Where in the UK are you?

Shinyandnew1 · 14/04/2025 09:29

This is why the term dates won't change anytime soon-people may not be 100% happy with the layout at the moment, but there's no general consensus about how people would like it to change!

I'm pretty happy with how they are-though I would lose a week in the summer for an extra one in June, but know that won't work due to the exams. Losing a week in the summer when the weather is usually at its best, to gain one at February/
October or Christmas would be awful!

JaneGrint · 14/04/2025 09:21

I don’t think that your school holiday dates are anything to do with the government.

My DC’s schools go by our LA’s suggested holiday dates, which are 2 weeks for Christmas, 2 weeks for Easter, 6 weeks in the summer plus 3 x 1 week half-term breaks in between the longer holidays.

Your school is choosing to have different holidays from the norm for whatever reason. But if you’ve got longer holidays in the autumn / winter breaks then you might be able to get some cheaper holidays out of it?

Original poster

ackarackaru · 14/04/2025 09:20

Hm yes good point re: GCSEs.

I assumed it was government led, my mistake.

the problem with October is you have to go further afield for decent weather and for me the benefit of more holidays in the summer is you don’t necessarily even have to go abroad. You could holiday in the U.K. which is cheaper, better for our economy etc.

and its not just about going on holiday. It’s child entertainment. The summer is so much nicer - park visits, farm visits, beach visits, hell just go in the garden. Winter? Sit infront of a screen, or trash the house with painting, crafting and baking.

OP posts:

DanceMumTaxi · 14/04/2025 09:16

They’ve probably done it to try and break up the longest terms. The terms would be too long if you only had 3 weeks off between September and Easter. You’d have done 2/3 of the teaching with only 3 weeks off if you only had a week at October, Christmas and February. The kids wouldn’t cope and the point of school is education not childcare. But I agree, 3.5 weeks at Christmas is too much. 2 weeks in October is great though (we have 2 weeks here and 5 in summer). More time off in June wouldn’t work because of GCSE and A level exams. They would have to be pushed back and then marking would be an issue. There’s not enough examiners for some subjects so the time is needed for marking and moderation. It would have to be a nationwide change, not just school by school.

Overthebow · 14/04/2025 09:16

AndImBrit · 14/04/2025 09:12

This plus two weeks at Easter is the norm near me, so you seem to be getting lots of holidays.

But winter is a great time to go away, and given the length of the holidays you have you can go further afield at Christmas and October?

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Yes I forgot Easter, which we’re currently on!

LIZS · 14/04/2025 09:14

Not sure it is the government’s role tbh. School holiday dates vary from one LA to another, even varying by school/trust. No guarantee of better weather in June or August.

TeenToTwenties · 14/04/2025 09:14

2 weeks in June would require shifting of GCSEs, which may or may not be a good idea.

Crunchymum · 14/04/2025 09:12

Some schools here (London Borough) have 2 weeks in October but I've never heard of 2 weeks in the summer half term. I can understand why you'd be disappointed to be honest but I don't think your holiday needs will alter the decision.

AndImBrit · 14/04/2025 09:12

Overthebow · 14/04/2025 09:09

Where are you? This isn’t a UK government thing, at dds school they get 1 week October, 2 weeks Christmas, 1 week February, 1 week May, 6 weeks summer holidays.

This plus two weeks at Easter is the norm near me, so you seem to be getting lots of holidays.

But winter is a great time to go away, and given the length of the holidays you have you can go further afield at Christmas and October?

SilverButton · 14/04/2025 09:12

The trouble is you can't keep everyone happy! I can see the attraction of an extra week off in June though.

Shinyandnew1 · 14/04/2025 09:11

why can’t the government change it so

You are part of an academy-they set their own holidays.

Where are you though-I have never heard of a uk state school having 3.5 weeks at Christmas?

PoppysAunt · 14/04/2025 09:11

Overthebow · 14/04/2025 09:09

Where are you? This isn’t a UK government thing, at dds school they get 1 week October, 2 weeks Christmas, 1 week February, 1 week May, 6 weeks summer holidays.

Yes, that's standard.