To think the schools break up far too late?

[justnotaballetmum]

They do, don't they?

It is nearly the end of July. The best weather (ha, I know, but stay with me!) has gone. It's practically August by the time they are released and distinctly autumnal.

Wouldn't it be better to break up start of July and give them a couple of extra weeks?

I think six weeks off is ridiculous. The holidays should be broken up more, maybe that way my children wouldn't be quite so knackered and bloody horrid at the moment!!

Living on a street with three schools and having grown up children, I think all schools should be closed from 1st June to 1st October

NO! I think long holidays really interrupt learning as they forget to much, plus it creates childcare problems for a lot of parents. Personally, I would have a system of:

2 week half terms
3 weeks at Xmas
3 weeks at Easter
4 weeks summer

Rheagal you can't make provision for any issue your children happen to have how are they going to learn to live with it as adults if they just check out of anything more difficult for medical reasons?

Sadly yes, dontyoulovecalpol. What seems to be meant by Shark and others is plan your life so you can live off your husband's salary.
Unless perhaps she is going to come back and answer my question about what she means by planning ahead.

www.oxfordlearning.com/summer-learning-loss-statistics/

This link contains some interesting stats on summer learning loss. It's really just one more way in which families with less money are disadvantaged, as they often lack the resources or wherewithal to do lots of educational activities over the summer. A shorter break would help lessen the achievement gap between middle class and poor families.

We both know the only answer on this thread is become a SAHM anyway.

Or a teacher.

Unless you marry another teacher then you're stuffed if your children get ill ever as you have no annual leave provision. Mind you I'm stuffed if they get ill too!

Ha ha, exactly don'tyoulovecalpol. Try going to school in the ME, as I did, now that was hot! And we didn't have a/c in the classrooms until I was well into high school.

Right so we should never shrive to improve situation for subsequent children.

Rheagal you can't make provision for any issue your children happen to have shock how are they going to learn to live with it as adults if they just check out of anything more difficult for medical reasons?

What exactly is my DC checking out of? - he's in school wasting bloody time when he could be doing his spelling and math factor at home or at least watching something more educational than Disney latest dvd.

As for not making provisions for children who have medical conditions - I assume that a wind up and won't respond.

Totally agree. I think 8-9 weeks would be better. Break up beginning to mid July, go back 2nd Week of September. There would be less pressure on non-term time holidays which would bring the price down, and the children could get properly rested. They need the break.

I'd also go up to 3 weeks for Christmas and have a 2 week half term in the autumn term. I think the children would actually learn better.

Amazes me when I hear people complaining that it's too long and wanting to make it shorter.

Why is he wasting time at school? If they're not being taught anything you should complain to the school

Rhaegal you seemed to be indicating provision should be made for minor medical conditions such as hay fever - up to and including moving exams dates to allow them to happen at a time they weren't suffering. Was that not the point of your long post?

Witchend, have you read the thread? How do you suppose working parents cope with that when their annual leave barely covers what we have now? Are you proposing increasing statutory minimum annual leave and the billions of ££££ that would cost the country? If not, how is it possible?

NO! I think long holidays really interrupt learning as they forget to much, plus it creates childcare problems for a lot of parents. Personally, I would have a system of:

2 week half terms
3 weeks at Xmas
3 weeks at Easter
4 weeks summer

So that's 17 weeks of childcare parents need to find per year now (16 weeks plus 5 INSET days)?

I don't want 3 weeks off for made up religious festivals Xmas or Easter.

There seems to be a shortage of people in this country who want to spend their summer looking after other people's children. (Wouldn't fancy it myself.)

So then the only solution is to allow parents more annual leave. But that doesn't work for a number of reasons.

So I can't see a solution. Workplaces assume that someone else will look after their workers' children. But enough of those someones can't be found.

And to answer the OP, yes, I do think my children are exhausted and would be better off on holiday

Rhaegal you seemed to be indicating provision should be made for minor medical conditions such as hay fever - up to and including moving exams dates to allow them to happen at a time they weren't suffering. Was that not the point of your long post?

Forecast to affect 45% of people disproportion affects 16-24 year old - of which 40 per cent more likely to drop an entire grade grade from mocks in January to summer. Which these days affects being accepted onto courses and future.

Something that was on political radar few years ago as was considered so serious.

But it's a minor none issue because it doesn't affect you. .

Charlotte, that's exactly the problem. I don't have the answer but I certainly resent being told it's because I haven't planned in advance. Although Shark doesn't seem keen to explain what she means by that.

And fwiw, I absolutely think my children would also benefit from the time off. It's just not an option for many thousands of children who spend the summer in childcare.

My DS is 6 and has special needs and attends a special school. He finds the summer holidays very stressful without the structure and routine of school and becomes increasingly distressed as they go on - so 7 weeks is long enough. This year I've got him into a holiday club a couple of days a week and a club paid for by social services for children with SN otherwise he would not cope. We've found it hard to find a mainstream holiday club for him because as soon as I mention his autism they never return my phone calls (three different clubs). There's also no wrap-around child care for him during the school day either and I have to be at home for when his transport drops him off. This means I've had to be a SAHP despite having a successful career.

Please tell me how I could have prepared for having a child with SN where child care provision is non-existent? So I can understand where both parents are working, it's really tough over the summer finding childcare especially if your child doesn't fall between the 5-11 range.

God no. Managing six weeks of childcare is hard enough, I don't need to have to find more. It's all very well to say that school is education not childcare, but try telling the jobcentre that and see how far it gets you.

Propertyquandry Wed 20-Jul-16 13:36:42
My problem is that schools assume they come back rested and mine always return cranky.

What would you like to happen to help with this?

Would a childminder be more restful if your son hates holiday club and they find it more exhausting than school?

Or a nanny if they hate the early morning get ups, as you've said money not an issue.

Actually I disagree and think that four weeks off, so say the whole of August is plenty. Six or seven weeks is ridiculous and kids get bored so easily even when there's things they could be doing.

I looked at cm before but none who are interested in just a summer gig nor any who can fit 4 children in. Difficult and very expensive to get a summer nanny. I did try this but the strange sticking point was getting one willing to drive a car big enough for 3 car seats plus a booster seat plus a buggy. The nanny agency also quoted close to £1000 a wk. Now we're not struggling but that's rather expensive.

Plus, my main issue is not cover during the summer but rather cover during Christmas and half terms.

As for school, I don't know. They seem to think you're at home and have other help. Like at Christmas when you're not allowed to bring younger siblings to the school play. I've lost count how often on various occasions that I've been told by school staff that 'now's a time to utilise grandparents.' They wouldn't dream of making financial assumptions and saying 'now's the time to buy this or pay for that' yet it seems acceptable to assume you have wider family. Schools are set up too much around the idea of there being a sahp. How many threads have we seen on here with people complaining that their school still isn't running wraparound care as they don't think it's needed in their area.

Anyway, as I said, I don't know what the answer is but it's a massive massive problem bubbling just under the lid. I know at least 3 other families who only good due to mother/mil help. If that suddenly became unavailable they'd be stuffed. And what about our generation as GPs? I'll likely be working until 70. We as a generation aren't going to be able to cover any childcare for our children. I didn't have my dcs until late 30s and early 40s so just as likely I'll be dead if not working.
I do t have the answers but as a society we shouldn't ignore or underestimate the issue as it really is huge.

Property you are bang on the money with your last post. I couldn't put it better myself.