Why do school s insist on having the 6 week break in August...

[EezerGoode]

Why not have a week of every month? Or just allow each area to set its own holidays..we could all then go on holiday in June or may ,when there actually was nice weather..and it would be cheaper..we all seem to accept it often rains in August..meaning we pay top whack for holidays when it pisses down....so what is stopping headteachers spreading the holidays throughout the year so we can take advantage of decent weather and cheaper prices??!!

Yup Christine I'd say selfish (or at least motivated by self interest) as most of the world has longer holidays than us already. Are our children particularly crap that 6 weeks sets them back irreparably? I don't think so.

I'd like to move the holiday earlier, as for the last few years August has been dire weather

I really hope my LEA won't do the stupid thing and make summer holiday five weeks and add one week to October half term. I love October half term but one week is enough. If they must, then add a week for May half term but I hope they'd keep the six weeks.

England has one of the shortest summer holidays in the world and people still moan it's too long. In my home country, kids have 10 weeks and people would be up in arms if it was made any shorter. Children really need a longer break, childhood is so short and they already start school when very young.

It's nothing to do with setting them back and obviously everything to do with extortionate childcare costs, and logistics of care for older children when you haven't got a lot of family support.

Do we have higher childcare costs than other eu countries? I'm sure I'm not the only parent that works during the holidays and thinks this too

Yes, childcare costs are very high here. A lot of EU countries subsidize childcare.

Move to Scotland - our holidays run June to 2nd week in August. That said we have worse weather than England so it wouldn't make a difference.

This year hasn't been too bad as we actually had a bit of sunsuhie in July. Last year however we had something like 4 (separate not consecutive) days when it didn't rain but was still all grey and cloudy. (We had a week of sunshine in May and that was it). First week back at school the sun was splitting the sky.

I like the 6 week break as it gives the children a chance to have a proper break and relax, with 2 week breaks (i.e. Easter / Christmas) they (and me) are just getting into the routine of it all and it's over.

thanks not sure what part of Scotland you are in but here they don't go back till the 3rd week is year from the end of June

We broke up on the 30th of June this year in Midlothian. I've never been aware of any other Scottish LA breaking up more than a week before us. So while Scottish schools break up in June, it is still very much at the end of the month. We have 7 weeks this year. I wish it was 6 weeks and 2 in October but that's a personal thing. I moved teaching jobs as I worked in a neighbouring council as I had too many holidays that were different to my daughter.

Think Glasgow broke up about the 27th - they tend to do a mid week to mid week thing but have around the 7 weeks. Perth northwards tend to only take 6ish weeks because they have the tattie holidays in October. On occasions when we've had 8 weeks, we've broken up before Glasgow and managed to grab a bargain. We always go back on the Tuesday of the 3rd full week in August (around the 20 somethingth).

Yes I'm in Glasgow and we do tend to always break up mid week in the last week of June. This year our school broke up 27th June and they go back 15th August.

Last year I think they broke around 23rd or the 24th of June and back on the 11th August. I'm sure it was the same dates the previous year also.

Just want to second the person who mentioned France's system. Family member who is a teacher has kids in a different school with different half term dates to hers. She's lucky she has childcare, but she doesn't get the chance to spend time with them. (That said I would love a child free week off!). France's system is really simple: three really big zones across the country, holidays vary by at most two weeks I believe. Most of Southern and Eastern have summer holidays 10 weeks long, but they have strong traditions of summer camps etc.

Souter and Eastern Europe that is

Southern not Souter. I'll get my coat.