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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Why do schools finish early before a long holiday?

87 replies

Dumpelstiltskin · 22/07/2016 09:33

This gets my goat as a working parent.

All schools in my area finish at lunchtime when they break up for Christmas and Summer. DC don't even get lunch so DC on free school meals and KS1 DC miss out on a lunch which the school has already been given the budget for, I presume.

They are due a long holiday, why is it necessary for the school to have a half day?

OP posts:

LunaLoveg00d · 22/07/2016 10:10

Our school finishes at 1pm, after the lunch hour. Children who get free meals, including the younger ones, still get their lunch.

Floggingmolly · 22/07/2016 10:11

We finish at 1.15 - after lunch.

Backingvocals · 22/07/2016 10:12

Ours does - half an hour earlier

Pointless but just enough to mess with your head.

smallfox2002 · 22/07/2016 10:12

Some schools do, some don't.

Every school that I've been in has ( secondary) mainly for the reason that the lunchtime silliness can become ridiculous and the time to deal with issues that arise at lunchtime isn't there.

The managing schools tipping out into the local area is another issue. In my borough there were about 4,000 teenage children all tipping out into the town centre at the end of school, this had to be sorted out, and then the end times on the last day.

The half day will also have been accounted for somewhere else so your child will have spent their 190 full days in school. We would have finished yesterday if we hadn't taken a half day and finished at 1.30 when we did sports day.

Bathsheba · 22/07/2016 10:14

All the schools with in our council area always finish on a Friday at the normal time.

Griphook · 22/07/2016 10:16

Mine does every end of term. Really annoying and unnecessary

notamummy10 · 22/07/2016 10:17

My primary school never did early finishes but my secondary school did! If the break-up day fell on a Monday-Thursday we finished at 12:25 (3:25 was the normal finishing time) and on Friday, we finished at 11:45 (2:45 was the normal finishing time)!

MerryMarigold · 22/07/2016 10:18

It came as a shock to me when we moved as our old infant and junior didn't do this. I think my secondary did it in the summer holiday. It seems like a monumental waste of time let's face it the whole of the last week has been, they bring in toys, watch a movie and have lunch then come home.

smallfox2002 · 22/07/2016 10:19

Well I'm totally for it, think its a great idea Griphook, and seeing what goes on in schools behaviour wise from students on the last day, or even the last week as they realise that detentions for bad behaviour won't be till Sept I quite agree.

MerryMarigold · 22/07/2016 10:20

The half day will also have been accounted for somewhere else

How is this possible as we've had 3 half days?

BitOutOfPractice · 22/07/2016 10:21

I assumed it was so the teachers could go to the pub (which I don't begrudge them at all!)

But I agree it's a PITA

smallfox2002 · 22/07/2016 10:22

It'll be there somewhere, they wouldn't be allowed to have 189.5 days.

LifeIsGoodish · 22/07/2016 10:23

At one time I had dc in 3 different schools (primaries and secondary) and I worked in a 4th school. All 4 finished at different times on the last day of every term. What a hassle!

Working in a school, I appreciate that the last day (week!) of term has its challenges, but I resent the fact that my child is dismissed straight after afternoon registration - therefore having 'officially' had a full day's education. But, were I to take them out of school to go on holiday that day, it would be an unauthorised absence that would have a terrible effect on their education.

smallfox2002 · 22/07/2016 10:24

Seriously? For teachers to go to the pub?

I've never heard any other reason than the behaviour thing.

Thingvellir · 22/07/2016 10:25

Our school doesn't, but DS's teacher confided that they have to have the classrooms completely cleared of all stuff ready for the 'deep clean' and any maintenance planned for the holidays by the end of the last day - she had been working impossible hours all week in the evenings to try and get it all done - schools that release the kids early can use the last afternoon to do the big clear out. Seems like a very reasonable thing to finish early to me given this context, the teachers are equally knackered desperate for a rest by the end of term as the children. to all the teachers enjoying their well earned break today

ohtheholidays · 22/07/2016 10:31

I agree OP it's crap.

Our oldest DC's school breaks up at 12 our youngest DC primary breaks up 30 minutes early.

Backingvocals · 22/07/2016 10:34

That's the thing Lifeisgoodish. I cannot take my primary age children out of school for even an hour for any reason beyond illness or close family funeral. On the other hand, the school can dedicate the whole of the past two weeks to class parties, a sponsored walk and picnic in the park (twice actually), a trip to a funfair and a trip to Kidzania plus every afternoon watching Japanese cartoons....and then take the very last half hour of term off!

I am all for kids running around having fun at the end of term. They are all exhausted and they need to let off steam. But when the schools and education authorities come out with this stuff about not being able to miss even a single day or their education will suffer, but then basically spend the last two weeks shoving a video on and getting the kids to bring in cakes and crisps, I call bullshit.

smallfox2002 · 22/07/2016 10:36

The schools don't control the policy on taking children out, the government do.

Backingvocals · 22/07/2016 10:40

Oh and no big clear out at our school. We live one minute from school, basically next to the nearest pub. The entire staff of the school including the caretaker (but not the head...wonder why ) were sitting outside the pub from 3pm until 11. The children were thrilled at the idea of teachers getting drunk .

It was nice actually, to see them all together having fun and enjoying each other's company. Like I said, I don't begrudge the flaky last couple of weeks - I just don't like the authoritarian approach to a few hours off school.

Backingvocals · 22/07/2016 10:41

I tend to think our head applies it as strictly as she possibly can. Nothing gets authorised. Nothing.

Mookbark · 22/07/2016 10:42

Ds1 and 2 's school finished at lunchtime on Wednesday. It is secondary school. DS1 had been on a trip the day before and got back about 2 hours later than expected. He decided that he was too tired for school the last day and "they weren't going to do any work anyway", so he refused to go in. Interestingly, I wasn't contacted by the school as to why he wasn't there, as I would be normally, so I don't think the school cared either. As my oldest two are old enough to look after themselves for a few hours, it isn't an issue.
DS3 finishes at 2pm today. I am, hopefully, going to be able to leave work early to get him. I think it's nice to have an early finish (but agree it should be after lunch) on the last day and I suspect we will be pokemon hunting

ShatnersBassoon · 22/07/2016 10:42

Because the kids are good for nothing by that point and the teachers need to crack on with sorting out their shit without disturbance, ready for an early doors bender at the local.

smallfox2002 · 22/07/2016 10:43

But heads are beholden to LEAs and academy trusts, if you have any issues with attendance or are near the trigger point for ofsted you are not going to trigger it. I think also some schools just take a blanket approach to it and not approve anything to stop conflict.

I think this complaint overall is one that needs to be left.

Yup you ABU

Iwantacampervan · 22/07/2016 10:51

Primary schools round here don't finish early but all secondaries seem to finish at lunchtime. The town and local beach will be busy this afternoon!

Inthepalemoonlight · 22/07/2016 10:55

I'm in Northern Ireland. Our school usually gets out at 2pm until P4 when it changes to 3pm. But we have about 2 weeks throughout the year when school closes for all pupils at 11.15. Last day of each term, days Nativity or other performances are on, sports day etc.

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