Summer holidays should be longer

Maybe it varies by area. Where we are there aren't seperate playschemes, it's just that some pay for it and some have costs covered by HAF. No one knows who is which unless they say - my daughters friends proudly told her 'I get mine for free and your poor mum has to pay, which is a bit rubbish', when they were discussing how many days they were going to go and her friend asked her why she only she a few days and her friend did all the days.

The drama project she is going to also has a set number of places for HAF, but they all get fed so there is no distinction and no one know who is HAF or not. Those not on HAF are funded by a local Arts charity.

If I wasn't volunteering for 2 days I would have to take 5 days annual leave. Or pay for 5 days playschemes. So logically it's better to take 2 days off than 5 days off!

irish schools do get a may mid term. it might not be a week but they get at least a few days off. it depends all on what the teachers of that school voted for the year before. the school down the road from me takes a week off 1st week of June and three days on Feb every year others take the full week in Feb ( we also have a bank hol in Feb) the school that does the full week in June does it because they noticed loads of people take their kids out for their summer holidays in June so this has helped with that. also to note that in UK you can finish school at 16 - where's in Ireland finishes at 18 after their leaving cert

Italy and Spain both have two weeks for Christmas, 1 for Easter and 12 or 13 weeks ( ish) for summer. So 16/17 weeks. A year. Spain has a fair few extra days throughout the year, such as the areas saints day etc.But no half term breaks.
Think Scandinavian countries are much more like ours but have 2 weeks more on the summer.

It’s made a huge difference them being able to wear PE kit last couple of weeks! Thankfully 😅.

Definitely still learning at our school (and doing homework). They’ve earned the break- all 6 weeks of it!

Sorry if this has been mentioned - I’ve not RTFT - but in my county they are knocking a week off the summer holidays and adding it to the October half term, making a two week October half term and a 5 week summer holidays. It’s taking effect from September 2026.

The LEA say the data indicates that a) some children are very disadvantaged by the long summer break and b) there’s a high level of staff and child absence in the second half of the winter term. They’re hoping that breaking up the long winter term more will reduce the absence.

Personally I’m largely indifferent as it’s the same amount of holiday and education overall, just distributed differently, but it’s interesting that some LEAs are shortening the summer holidays rather than lengthening them on the basis of the data available.

If support staff are as highly qualified as teaching staff then 100% I agree.

Often TAs were teachers.

So the art classes near me are £70 per dc for a full day 10am - 3pm. A 2 hour half day session is £30 per dc. I wouldn't be using that much over the summer.

If support staff are as highly qualified as teaching staff then 100% I agree.

Thats just one school … 16 years working at a private senior school it was different … my experience tells me 100% that private secondary schools play their sporting fixtures on a Saturday afternoon… lessons in the morning… and teaching staff are expected to drive mini-buses and umpire games… it’s a 6 day week for teachers and pupils.

Mine would absolutely hate any ‘childcare’. So yes they would 💯 prefer being at school with their friends than that option. They would like to be less hot. Hence my earlier comment about appropriate uniform (I am not wearing a shirt tie and blazer to work!). Of course they would always say they want to be at home (indefinitely) don’t all kids- so that’s a silly question.

It's 5 weeks in Switzerland for the summer, so the UK isn't the lowest. And without holiday care being offered at the school, I would struggle to cover that with 5 weeks of annual leave being standard here. They have 2 weeks each in October, at Christmas, in February and at Easter, which makes up for the shorter summer break.

Those clubs still exist. Kids can still do that- for 6 weeks!

I haven't said they don't, I was just answering why you would extend holidays and use childcare.

What has changed is that the ones near me are expensive and or only run for a few hours. Not much use for working parents.

I agree , it’s very sad how short the summer holidays are in the U.K. . I grew up having 3 months and some of my best memories are in the summer . Here feels like it’s all about school
, the minute the school breaks there are already uniforms backpacks and all sorts in the shops , kids have no real break from thinking about school .

Unfortunately… you’re forgetting that teachers (if they’re conscientious) will be working for 3 or 4 weeks over the summer to prepare for the forthcoming academic year … hmmm … that’s your problem…. Especially when GCSE and A level classes are on your timetable.

I can only go on holiday for two weeks, three weeks max. I struggle to occupy my DS for the rest of the holiday - its only 3 weeks, but I cant afford more than a week of a summer camp. So longer holidays will mean nothing unless we get a month off work as people do in Italy or France (i think) and unless the tickets etc will not go up 3 times during the school holidays.

Those clubs still exist. Kids can still do that- for 6 weeks!

Can't speak for other EU countries but my nephew in Berlin goes to kindergarten and it is pennies compared to here, seriously no comparison. Id imagine other forms of child care/ summer clubs are too so perhaps parents have more scope to work and have their kids cared for. When old enough they can take care of themselves of course. Primary aged kids in UK would cost rhe parents a fortune if they have no family to help and no extra money for clubs to ensure they were safe and engaged.

In France they generally have e at least 35 days, plus a 35 hour week, heap childcare and more bank holidays!

also the reason they break up earlier in places like Italy and Spain is because it’s so hot there by the time June comes. What we think of as “too hot” is their normal early summer temps. It can regularly be nearer to 40 degrees there.

In theory this is a good idea. However, who’s going to fund it? Who’s going to administer, organise and staff these schemes… that’s why commercial organisations step in and the price goes up. Catch 22.

We need better child care in the summer. Many countries have free or much cheaper childcare clubs, holiday camps. We don’t need more schools

But why would I support extending summer holidays to pay to put them in childcare they wouldn’t want to do?! I’d rather they were at school

It can be a useful time to learn skills etc. I did dance clubs & art workshops as a dc (my mum didn't work), it was very cheap. I had a great time, it was kind of like a youth club.

I remember loving going to a childminder in the school holidays! I loved it

This 4-day working week for both is fine on paper, as long as the 'off day' is the same for both sides otherwise you get the same childcare issues. And presumably we'd expect shops, Dr's, dentists, hospitals etc to operate all 5 days of the week, so they would have additional childcare issues on that day.