Will there come a time when school holidays aren't so often or so long?

[QueenOfIce]

Do we really need 6 weeks for summer, 2 weeks in October, 2 weeks in Dec etc etc?

Is it really so knackering to be at school 5 days a week for 6 weeks that a 2 week break is needed?

With the rising cost of childcare I wonder if we'll ever see a reduction in school holidays?

cherry

You sound so bitter and jealous it seems like the most obvious solution.

Cherry, you seem to be conflating arguments.

These are children. They need breaks from school. They can't work 48 week years.

Inconvenience to your working schedule isn't really an argument that holds much water when weighed against the needs of the children the system exists to serve.

All education systems have a longer break in the year, all round the globe. This is because the children need them.

The education system is going to bend round particular parents because the holidays are inconvenient to you. That's your job to sort, as a parent.

Just like as a teacher I have to sort different issues out with my children. It's part and parcel of the pluses and minuses that come with taking on your chosen career.

The current school holiday regime (not to mention the hours of the normal school day) are keeping women out of well paid employment. Women are tied to childcare because of it. There are (virtually) no jobs that fit around this schedule - you either have to earn enough to pay for alternative childcare during the holidays, or you stay at home and look after the kids yourself

Nothing current about it, it's always been like this, do you not remember your school days.
Women are tied to nothing, kids come with two parents and school isn't childcare.
You as a parent are the dc free childcare, if you want to work then you need to sort out your childcare, not expect everyone else to fit in with your choices.

Where I'm from summer hols are from 15th of June to 15th of September . Now that's a summer holiday.

I'm quite sad it's all over already tbh, this year's holiday went stupidly fast.

You clearly don't work with children then op. You need to be in classes at the end of half term to see the pupils flagging. They are expected to learn and produce so much, often way over what they can do, and are pushed and extended constantly. There's little wonder they need breaks

Teachers are teachers, not childminders. But our society's obsession with working, because after all worth is measured by your success as an economic unit, is going to force schools to be open all year round.
Children need breaks from school life. I for one would refuse point blank to put them in school more. But everything is designed to suit working parents now. It's not the norm to stay at home so you are a minority as a sahm and I've noticed that rhetoric gets more and more discriminatory towards women that don't work.

The OP asked whether there will come a time when school holidays are shorter or less frequent. I'm answering that no, I don't think teachers would ever, ever allow that to happen. As for being jealous of course I am! Who wouldn't be 😂 they get a staggering amount of leave compared to everyone else. But like I say, we can't all leave our jobs and become teachers, we have our own jobs to do.

Regarding children needing a break from schoolwork, yes of course they certainly do need a break, I just don't think they necessarily need 3 months off per year.

No indeed Cherry, we can't all be teachers, but it's ok, there's room for you as I have left teaching, yes even with those long holidays it was insupportable - so you can take my place! What's your subject? Chances are it's in high demand at secondary.

Like I say, teachers will do everything to protect their entitlement to loooong holidays.

It’s part of the design of the job and always has been. The length of tens ummer holidays haven’t changed in decades and really do not come as a surprise to anyone. Would MPs object to having their summer break shortened? Would highly paid roles object to having their salaries cut?

It'll never change, is all I'm saying

Good.

There's no school system anywhere but around the world which has shorter than about 6 weeks once a year. Certainly no high income countries.

Why do you think this is? It's because kids need time to be....kids.

It’s not true that teachers will do anything to protect their holidays. I personal have always found six weeks too long. It’s boring and none of my friends are around as they all work in non-teaching jobs. Even with a little one at home I find it long. The other holidays are much needed to recharge. But as for summer I would absolutely like to see it cut down to four weeks. And happily take the pay rise that would have to come with it.

if you want to work then you need to sort out your childcare, not expect everyone else to fit in with your choices
Just out of interest: who exactly is funding your choice to stay at home with your children during the long school holidays that you love so much..?
And why are only women’s decisions to work presented as choices, never men’s..?
School holidays and the school day are a feminist issue. Pretending otherwise is bullshit.

Teacher here and I would be quite happy to have just four weeks in summer and be paid for those 2 weeks I'd be teaching instead. No need to change curriculum as we can[t fit it all in as it is.

And because this is possibly the most middle-class thread ever seen on Mumsnet, here’s some info about people “loving” the long summer holidays:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/25/holiday-hunger-shame-government-childrens-clubs

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-bank-donations-uk-children-hunger-summer-holidays-trussel-trust-a8475516.html%3famp

@catdrugs have you considered a lot of people are "obsessed " with working because they can't make ends meet? Kids need to be kids...they also need shelter,food and clothes. It's not obsession wanting to provide your kids with at least the basics.

But everything is designed to suit working parents now
Well yes, ya know, unless you're on benefits or your husband earns enough to keep you then those pesky bills have to get paid somehow.
There should be good available low cost childcare available for anyone who needs it whenever they need it.

Women are tied to nothing, kids come with two parents and school isn't childcare.You as a parent are the dc free childcare, if you want to work then you need to sort out your childcare, not expect everyone else to fit in with your choices

Actually my kids have one parent-me. Blame my husband who fucked off and never paid for them or saw them again. Bloody selfish me making those selfish choices and expecting everyone to fit around them.
Get real.
School is the only time they are with anyone without it costing me.
Not really sure why you are insinuating that women's job is to stay at home. Would we be having this conversation if a man was responsible for childcare? Probably not.

I hope not.

I would like to see them increased. 8-9 weeks over the summer and a full 4 weeks at Christmas.
I think children need the down time. I know I did as a child-I was inevitably ill at the start of each holiday. They need to relax and just play and not worry about it.

But I think there needs to be a scheme even now where children who get free school meals get some sort of food voucher/meal daily during the holidays. I've met too many parents who don't eat (or just drink the water the veg was cooked in for example) over the summer so the children can get something to eat.

And while we're about it I would ban homework at primary level too.

School holidays are too short, six weeks is not long enough. Op I hope you are wrong, because I actually like my children and spending time with them.

I’m baffled by all this “time to just be kids” that people think kids have over the holidays. Many many children are left at home in front of the tv all day or roaming the streets while their parents go to work because there are no other options for them.
Is that the sort of thing you’re thinking of...?

I like my children just fine. I don’t think the halfterms are long enough being only 1 week. But I also think that if the summer hols were reduced to 4 weeks that would be a good break, while freeing up time for linger half term holidays, avoiding summer holiday regression (or limiting it).

At base, I think that there should be coordinated holiday/term dates with an lea, preferably across England (and same in Scotland and Wales if it’s not already the case). I have friends who teach in different schools to their kids who have issues when there is a significant difference between term date of a week or more, which is more pronounced as more and more academies set their own schedule.

Op I hope you are wrong, because I actually like my children and spending time with them
Good for you. Finally a mother who actually loves her child

I love the holidays and wish they were slightly longer - a proper month at Xmas and one at Easter would be perfect for me. 8 weeks of summer too.

I’m lucky enough to have flexible work and can afford to take time off. It’s terribly sad that there are children and families who can’t afford to eat properly when school meals are not there to feed them but this is a separate issue. Poverty, child poverty, austerity and other factors are the issue here not longer school hours. If the school holidays get shorter I personally would hate it.

That said after 6 weeks of late nights abroad (where we’ve been visiting my parents and DH and I have been able to work from here) I think my two children need a bit of discipline, earlier nights and less Fanta!

Hahaha be glad you are not in the USA where the average summer holiday is 10 weeks (it does vary from State to State though) and when my Husband was in school in Washington state his summer vacation was 12 weeks long.....

Most countries actually have longer holidays then the UK especially ones higher up the league table for education.

Well as a TA I’d prefer some shuffling to even up the terms. The 8 and 9 week terms are hard going. If school was just less intense and we were willing to pay teachers more them maybe we could have less holiday. If school was more chilled out then maybe everyone wouldn’t need so much time off but that seems impossible atm.