The pill, having my break after 2 and a half packs.

[Comfyblueslippers]

The doctor had advised to take th pill packets 2 or 3 packs in a row with no break due to heavy periods. I work at a school so taking 2 or 3 packs still will cause a period to arrive in term time.
I wondered if anyone took them more randomly to fit in with life e.g. taking 2 and a half packs ather than 3 to fit in with timing the period to arrive on half terms and holidays.

Yes of course. You can break whenever to fit in with half term, school holidays etc.
If you go too long you may get breakthrough bleeding but otherwise with pills that are all the same you can break whenever.

Also, we've been advised don't need a 7 day break and 4 is sufficient.

You know you don't actually need to have a break AT ALL!

When the pill was invented, they put the break in so it seemed like you would have a period as men thought women would like that.

The break is actually completely unnecessary.

Although some people do get breakthrough bleeding when running several packets together.
As long as you've taken at least 21 pills you can have a break of up to 7 days (could be fewer than 7).

There's absolutely no issue with taking the pill back to back with no break. The only issue you may find if you do it too much is some break through bleeding, but other than that it's absolutely safe. And to avoid break through bleeding doctors advice you to take a break 3-4 times a year.

I take it back to back until I get breakthrough bleeding (every 3 or 4 months roughly), then I take a 4 day break

I'd be worried about taking half a pack and then having a break. I usually have a four day break but have taken 2 packets back to back before to avoid a period if I don't want to be on for a specific event.

I wouldn't take half a pack and then stop in case I got pregnant?

Not half a pack.
But a pack and a half or 2.5 packs would be fine.

OP is talking about taking 2½ packs and then a break so she will have taken more than 21 tablets. She can then have a break (up to 7 days) and then take the pill again. Any break would need 21 days of pill taking beforehand to cover against pregnancy

This!

When I was on the pill many many years ago i used to only have a break twice a year. I knew I didn’t need to but somehow it felt ‘right’ to.

My GP advised my teen to take it continuously until she has breakthrough bleeding, then have a break for 4-5 days than restart.

In reality, if it's been a while, they will take a deliberate break to make sure they don't have breakthrough bleeding at an awkward time.

Yes that's what my DD does too.

Thanks everyone, that's reassuring that I can do it that way and maybe take it for longer at times. I should have said that its not used for contraceptive reasons just to be able to get on with life without heavy periods stopping me going places!