to expect teachers to make children work in the last week of term?

[shellingtonboots]

Play Connect 4 on the last day of term, yes. But watching DVDs, drawing and general "fun" activities a whole week before the end of term is really winding me up!

Oh, I sound like such a meanie...

My DS had a whole week of 'activities'. He's in secondary school. He loved it and I'm sure some educational stuff has been squeezed in as well.

Yabu. There is nothing nicer than the last wind down week of school befiore the summer hols.

You miserable bugger!!

I don't really mind them playing games. However, it does annoy me that we cant take advantage of booking a cheaper holiday the week before they break up. Gives me the rage that I still can't take them out of school even though they are doing bugger all.

YABU, you try getting kids to work in this heat, a week before they break up for six weeks - it's not going to happen! They're kids, they're in school most of the year as it is - why can't they have a week or so of downtime? It's not like it's everyday, it's the last week of the year!

It's terrible practice. Either children go to school and do something useful or else give them a break.

Well mine have worked hard all year and are knackered. If they've ramped up the arts, crafts, music and sport in the last week and dropped the reading, writing, tables and spellings a bit then good for them!

I draw the line at wall to wall DVDs though.

The school that I work in has activities week this week. Theme park yesterday, murder mystery today, sports day tomorrow, adventure walk Thursday and cinema and paint balling on Friday.
We haven't had any "proper" lessons for the last week or so. Last week was all films and Xbox.

Roll on September

Staff often have clearing up etc that needs to be done, classrooms moved etc etc...

Look on game paying as an important way to practice social skills and sharing!

Dd's away with the residential trip this week so the school are five members of staff down. therefore classes will be shuffled and they will be doing activities all week rather than the usual timetable. The last Monday is the summer fair and Tuesday is take in a toy day. YABU it's hot and time to wind down now for the summer holidays.

I dont mind the last week but the 'winding down for holidays' seems to start way before then, which I think is a bit of a piss take. I say this as the child of teo primary school teachers.

I don't mind it but would like to be able to take my children away in term time without being fined before their dad flies off working again.

A bit of leeway either side isn't a bad thing.

YABU. Both my DC are loving being at school with their mates but not having to focus on schoolwork.

They have been playing rounders and cricket and enjoying themselves. DS1 is off to Boulogne for the day with school next week before they break up. Happy Days.

I think a bit of wind down is fine.

But - if you want to take a term time holiday then I don't see how they can make a fuss if no actual curriculum is being covered.

DS1 is in reception and they are still doing daily reading. There is a lot of PE/outside play going on, much of it involving numbers.

All DVDs would piss me off though. I could plonk him in front of the TV at home and not have the hassle of the school run and making packed lunches!

Oh I love them to wind down, relax, have fun etc, just would like to be having fun with them, rather than bust a blood vessel every morning just to get out of the front door.
I rush around like an idiot, ironing, making lunches, finding hair bobbles so they can watch The Incredibles on a lovely sunny day. They could've done that in their PJs with knotted hair at home!

YABU! This was always the case when I was at school. Stop being such a miser.

Look at it as gaining social skills and working as part of a team

I think that people forget what it was like being children- I loved the last week of term and certainly didn't want to miss it to go on holiday.

At secondary school, for a few years we did an "activity week" where we got to try loads of different things, lots of mini courses if you like, just before the end of term. Things like drama workshops, archery, different sports, craft activities. It was brilliant. Also you got to mix with other kids outside your classes/year/peer group. I often felt I learnt more in that week than I had in normal weeks during the year. Certainly about myself.

A week of 'fun' can be usefule and needed, but it can also be a massive waste of time especially of schools refuse to give permission for DC to be taken out that week.

During the last week of Y8 we had family friends from abroad staying, with DC of my own age. School said 'no' to me having the last 3 days off to do things with them. Went in on the Monday and did bugger all - drawing, DVD, chatting, teacher not even turning up. Needless to say I was ill for next and final two days of term and went to meuseams, practiced a foreign language and was out hiking and swimming in rivers. Much more educational than DVD watching in a stuffy classroom!

Ds1's school has Ofsted in today and tomorrow. bet the staff are thrilled.

DVDs are quite bad practice, unless used as part of a creative project.

But YABU to expect business as usual. The last week should be educational but also fun, crazy and different

I don't think the schools themselves would care so much about term time holidays, left to their own devices. Unfortunately local authorities, Ofsted and central Govt do care about them.