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.

I don't know what happens in England but here in Scotland we get a week off in February. Yes, that is right, the shittest month weather wise. I would love them to move that holiday to the October break.

"not saying there aren't others, but hard to think of any with so much stress and responsibility at the same level of pay"

Any job in the emergency services or armed forces as two examples off the top of my head.

I'm trying not to turn this in to an anti teaching rant but "they wouldn't want less than 5 weeks as they need that break mentally": seriously?

My DH is a secondary teacher - used to be a freelance IT consultant. Got tired of the stress so took up teaching as an easy, safe option and by all accounts is bloody good at it.

Teaching is an important, sometimes difficult job but its paid well with extremely generous non financial perks. According to my DH most teachers have never worked outside of education and it shows. "Mental recouperation". Please.

Back to the OP, I see no problem with shortening the summer break. According to my DH if nothing else it will make September a lot easier for him...

I've been told the edinburgh parents would be most displeased, crack, as this is big time ski-ing season

I wouldn't object to 6 week holidays if there were playschemes/activities that ds1 could actually do. We were very lucky that he was given 2 playscheme days a week (every other week one of those was on a Saturday though so no use for work) inbrhe one and only scheme he can access. Ds2 & ds3 have a huge choice of activities and can be easily taken out even if it's crowded. But ds1 struggled.

'I don't know what happens in England but here in Scotland we get a week off in February. Yes, that is right, the shittest month weather wise. I would love them to move that holiday to the October break.'

In this part of Scotland, we have a fortnight break in October and only a long weekend in February. It was originally for the tattie hawking, but we love it because it's the perfect time of year for us to take the children abroad to see my family.

Pointydog, I can't ski (I hate the cold and have often thought I was born in the wrong country) but before DCs (when I had money) I would always go on holiday to a lovely hot country during February. Nowadays I am treated to a week of bored, housebound children for the week. Sigh.

Expat, I used to go Tattie Hawking . We only get 10 days for October which is the best time for DH to have some time off work and we would prefer 2 weeks.

That will be another thing to create anger towards the poor bastards. Holiday prices during the 3 weeks will go high sky and who's fault will be? those poor idiots who couldn't stimulate their children but have plasma tv . They make us to each other.

On a serious note will be nightmare for those who have families-grandparents abroad. I 'm from europe and the fares are cheap but i cant imagine those from Australia, USA, Asia, able to pay those fares for only 2 weeks?

I agree with you, crack. A long weekend is more than enough.

A week in May would be nice.

We get from 1 October - 18 October.

Good time of the year for DH to take off work as well.

I was talking to a school nurse (inner city, covers several schools) about this and she said she really does worry about some of the poorer chidlren in the longer 6 week holidays as they are in a safe place at school and can be looked out for The fact that they get a hot school meal and soemone can see if they were in need of ss to call it can be reported.

Thse where things in my life I hadn't even crossed my mind as my own are safe and feed and looked after.

The longer summer holdiays are antiquated with the harvest being the main reaosn for a longer break so chidlren could help - I wouldn't think there are many dc that help with the harvest now

itis about tiem the holidays had an overhall and where sorted to fal in line with modern days life

I agree with AlouiseG - ditch the half terms either side and start the holidays sooner - the longer the better! I love the kids being home, they love it too!

swallowedafly surely people who work don't just manage to drop at school and be back for collection time. There must be an element of childcare involved which just needs extending during the holidays.

If you reduce the school holiday time then parents would be fighting to take the school holidays off, not everyone could take the same three weeks and lots of parents would miss out on spending time with their children.

mumbar you made a good point, although I like the 6 weeks, dd has lost movement in her Knees due to it, so I can see how in some ways they are too long.
(shame she couldn't just have phiso in the hols)

there is a lot of anger towards the parents who are poor but it isn't the childs fault they were born to an unstimulating home without a care to feed the blighters.

it isn't the childs fault and soemwhere in there is a plan to try to prevent the visious circle sprilling away and stop it for some of the next generation and therfore there would be stimulation and no doel queing.

Therefore, extra activities need to be laid on for disadvantaged children.

Mine don't happen to be disadvantaged but again that's not their fault it's mine and dh's. So don't mess with my childrens holidays.

i think maybe holidays would be cheaper if they were stagered acorss areas

This will be fantastic for working parents.

I agreed with every word of Libby Purves article. I also fail to see when teachers would recharge their batteries-I needed at least 2 weeks of the summer holiday to prepare for the new school year and another 2 weeks to catch up with the house which gets completely neglected in term time and that leaves 2 weeks pure holiday.
I also think it erodes childhood even further, I can remember the absolute bliss of the first day of the holiday when the summer seemed to stretch far into the distance with absolutely nothing to do! DCs need a proper break. A better idea would be to run lots of free things with volunteers-e.g. den building,sports.

expat whereabouts in Scotland are you?

We are in very rural mid Wales, but it is only a bus ride from the library, museum etc. We obviously don't have the facilities that someone living near a city would have, but at the same time we have lots of forests, beaches etc nearby. My DC spent a good chunk of their holidays at the local RSPB reserve, it works out as £1 a week for family membership and then we get free entry to every reserve. Even if its raining it is dry in the hides!

It will never happen. If schools only get three weeks then parliment can hardly warrant having three months off.

"This will be fantastic for working parents", OK I might be a bit thick but how will having the same amount of holidays, but spread out through the year, make it easier for working parents?