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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's not half term?

100 replies

WildBelle · 05/04/2017 12:25

For a few years I've noticed that a lot of people refer to any school holiday as half term (except the summer holiday which is pretty much always called the summer holiday).

Now, when I was at school (ok it was a while ago), half terms were the week you would get off half way through the term, e.g. in October, February and May. The longer holidays were the Christmas and Easter holidays, NOT half term.

But now they all seem to he know as 'half term'. I've noticed it a lot on here as well as real life. I am probably massively unreasonable to get annoyed by it but every time I hear it it makes me twitch. How can it be half term at the end of a term?

OP posts:
Kitsandkids · 05/04/2017 14:12

Oh I'm so glad you made this thread! I was saying to my husband at the weekend (when 'half term' was mentioned on the radio) that I knew it was irrational but it really annoyed me when the end of a full term is referred to as 'half term!' I've seen it loads.

I had a parent/teacher meeting with my eldest's teacher last week and he said 'we've got two terms left.' I wanted to shout, 'no you haven't! It's one full term!' But then some people are saying that schools officially refer to each half term as a term now so maybe he was right. Though I'm fairly certain my kids' school doesn't.

LindyHemming · 05/04/2017 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Cantstopeatingchocolate · 05/04/2017 16:07

Euphemia I was planning on posting ^^ too.
My region has 3 days in Feb. 1 day holiday and 2 in service/teacher training days.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 05/04/2017 16:09

My husband does this and it drives me potty.

In terms of school holidays, it's like summer or Christmas. End of term holiday, not half term if you really want to be precise.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 05/04/2017 16:11

I've never heard anyone refer to Christmas or Easter holidays as half term

YANBU to correct people!

floraeasy · 05/04/2017 16:13

Absolutely Euphemia!

thenightsky · 05/04/2017 22:33

DH just got in from teaching karate.

Me: Did you get a good turnout tonight?
Him: No, kids are all away on half-term.
Me: End of term, you mean end of term, half means half not full. Its Fecking Easter holidays end of term not half!!!
Him: I dunno, its hols innit.

Original poster
WildBelle · 05/04/2017 23:07

Kill him with fire.

It's the only way.

OP posts:
Zippydoodah · 05/04/2017 23:08

Bless them. They're confused.

Serendipper · 05/04/2017 23:14

I'm a teacher and I keep correcting myself saying half term instead of easter, I think days and weeks have just merged for me so I don't care what the holiday is I'm just desperate for it! (2 more days for us)

Witchend · 05/04/2017 23:19

Yes, I've noticed it just this year. I was assuming people were making a mistake, but then more people said it too.

BollardDodger · 15/04/2017 08:57

I cannot stand this general lack of incorrect terminology and attention to detail in life generally. Especially when teachers are admitting to doing it. They are teaching a load of kids who will just end up blagging their way through life.

bluebelltippytoes · 15/04/2017 09:00

I've heard this a lot too. I'm like huh? It's Easter holidays, isn't it? Confused

Tinkerbec · 15/04/2017 09:03

Haha I am with you.

This is a totally irrational annoyance for me too.

It is end of term. I don't want to go back for summer term. Only a week to go.

bimbobaggins · 15/04/2017 09:03

Half term doesn't bother me but I have noticed a lot of people now calling the Easter holiday spring break.

nokidshere · 15/04/2017 09:12

Gosh really who cares? No school is no school and should be celebrated whatever anyone wants to call it Grin

Tinkerbec · 15/04/2017 09:12

I remember may half term being called whit werek.

Does anyone remember the October half term called potato picking week? That was how we refered to it in the 80s.

My school has not gone tontge six terms. Phew. Still just three here. Though I guess it could change anytime.

Topseyt · 15/04/2017 09:54

I hate this too. It is the Easter holiday, not halfway through the term.

GallicosCats · 15/04/2017 10:22

Perhaps we should go back to the public school/Oxbridge way of referring to the school terms. Wasn't it Michaelmas, Hilary, Whitsun or something similar?

pieceofpurplesky · 15/04/2017 10:31

I am on the Spring Holiday. C of E school but we have the first two weeks of April every year

DingDong01 · 21/05/2017 14:40

For a few years I've noticed that a lot of people refer to any school holiday as half term (except the summer holiday which is pretty much always called the summer holiday).
I'm beginning to hear people referring to the Summer Holidays as half term now Confused

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 21/05/2017 14:53

Perhaps we should go back to the public school/Oxbridge way of referring to the school terms. Wasn't it Michaelmas, Hilary, Whitsun or something similar? We still refer to May half term as Whitsun week in my area Gallicos. The others are just Summer hols, October half term, Christmas hols, February half term & Easter hols though so not quite sure why we've carried on using Whitsun.

stoplickingthetelly · 21/05/2017 15:47

I agree and it gets on my nerves too.

Willow2017 · 21/05/2017 15:48

Oh Lord thank goodness I thought it was just me.
Saw someone refer to the summer holidays as half term recently and thought wtf? It made me twitch! It's not half term the completely new term starts after the summer hols what a so difficult about that?

Willow2017 · 21/05/2017 15:51

Tinker
Yes we still call it 'tattie' week although kids don't spend it picking tatties any more. (Mores the pity 😉)

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