to be violently opposed to the summer holidays being shortened to three weeks

[emkana]

Don't know if there's been a thread about this yet?

Suggested by Frank Field, adviser to David Cameron, because poorer children don't get the stimulation during the summer holidays and therefore fall behind.

Libby Purves wrote quite rightly in the Times yesterday that that is no good reason to deprive all children of the long summer break (and the teachers!), rather more enrichment should be offered during the holidays for deprived children.

Im a teacher and 3 weeks is not long enough to get ready for the new academic year practically and mentally ! Also can you imagine what the prices of holidays would be !

i am opposed too.....i have 5 dc and want to actually spend quality time with them

we are poor and we do the same as any other family with regards stimulation,educational stuff etc......nice to be stigmatised...again!!!

why is 3 weeks not enough m2m?

Can you imagine the cost of holidays if everyone had to go in the same 3 weeks.

Why don't they spend the money on affordable holiday play schemes instead? My local council puts some really fantastic free activities but they spaces are so limited they get booked within hours of the details being handed out at schools.

God it would never work in my dh's workplace, as they couldn't all have the same time off.

actually i think ds1 would really benefit from this.
he doesn't do well with change. it has been a real struggle getting him used to school again this term

i LOVE the 5/6 week holiday. but i wouldn't be upset if it was less and the hours shortened for rest of the year or something

not for this reason tho, it's a stupid reason

I actually like spending time with my ds during the holidays, I ended up with 5 weeks of the 6 off.
Im dirt poor, but we still manage to have lots of fun doing stuff that doesn't cost a lot or seeking out the free play days the council put on.
Am lucky as we live next to the beach as well.

Presumably there would be the same amount of holidays but spread more throughout the year? FWIW I like the long holidays.

If they reduced the summer break to 3 weeks, then they would have to give more weeks somewhere else. AFAIK European legislation states that academic years have to be more or less the same throughout Europe don't they? (in terms of how many days children are in school- it's something I always point out to my Italian students when they feel sorry for UK children only having 6 weeks in summer when they have 3 months- it all balances out in the end)

Do poor people play with the kids more in winter then?

maybe shorten it a bit....by 1 or 2 weeks then,a compromise lol!!

I love the assumption that poor people's children don't learn anything during the holidays.

Last time I looked libraries, museums etc were all free...

Plenty of wealthier people's children are left in far from ideal day care settings during the holidays and don't learn a great deal!

It sounds like bliss to me.

From dh(teacher) POV that would be crap as he spent more than 3 weeks in school /working but if they spread the excess out over the other holidays the mental stress for teachers may be not need as long to recover from.

From a parent POV I would like 4 in the summer then the other 2(3) spead over the rest of the year.

I like the 6weeks tbh.

It flew by this year-I would have liked 8

I like the six weeks, I want to spend time with dc, I don't want them shortening either.

Would work for me. Ds1 climbing the walls by week 3. I wouldn't have to stop work for 6 weeks. Excellent idea.

don`t get yer knickers in a twist.

He is an old labour loony, who through Lib Dems gets an airing. Tories have to pretend to think about his proposals to show they are listening to the progressive left.

But It`ll never happen.

YABU to ve violently opposed - what are you going to do to FF and the Cleggeron, are you prposing direct action, seems a bit extreme? Sorry for the pedantry, but violently opposed you most hopefully aren't

YANBU - the long summer break is fantastic, quality time spent with DD in the sun, trips out, playing with friends in the park.

Shortening the break will just lead to higher authorised absence as people holiday in term time. Most local councils run play schemes and activities in the holidays - our local one had a craft afternoon, 3 hours for 50p, indoor and outdoor activities - fab.

I read the Times article on Saturday and had a dood rant at DP - I think the 6 week break is seen as an issue because (maybe) thereis a silent majority who enjoy the break rather than a more vocal minority (just my opinion, I could be totally on my own in loving the holiday)

If they do shorten it, kaybe give an extra week atXmas when kids have stimulus of new toys and when any businesses are closed. This would also reduce heating costs as scholld would not need to heat the school as much (maybe?)

It would suit me. Ds1 is practically rocking through lack of the Organising School Bell by September. I think he would love it (secretly) if school never stopped.

I wish I could type, I apologise for my crap spelling

yanbu
6 weeks does seem a long break but imo dd needs it and so do most kids.
doubt if it will be shortened though as that will cost

We usually have 7 weeks in Scotland and this year had only 6. It seemed really quite short to me.

I don't have a problem with it being shortened to 4 or 5 weeks, with the rest of the weeks being used elsewhere, like longer at October for example.

I have friends woh are teachers and they wouldn't want less than 5 weeks as they need that break mentally.

perhaps we could start by not pressurising kids to keep up with unrealisitic expectations so young.

Another one who would like 4 weeks instead.