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??!!

I don't think any changes will be made to the holidays for a long long time. The government are aware that there are not enough teachers (well there are loads, but not enough willing to teach in the current mess) left to staff the schools if you made such changes.

I just wish all of July and August could be school holidays; 6 weeks isn't long enough. :(

Yesterday 17:32 Nix32

Yep, it's all down to schools hmm. There are thousands of schools in the country. It would be an organisational nightmare. And if it did happen? There'd be plenty of people saying, why do schools need a week off this often; what was wrong with the six weeks summer holiday? Children benefit from a sustained period away from school - they do actually need it.*

Yes - this^
Has anyone mentioned the childcare issue, yet?

The holiday period referenced affects only England which, as we all know, is the very centre of the universe.

nina, yes, raised it a couple of times - without a 'standardised' core holiday, no holiday childcare would run at all...

BewareOfDragons - we broke up at linchtime on the 30th of June and don't go back until 22nd August (Teachers back on the 21st) 7 full weeks and a day. Every so often we get 8 full weeks by breaking up a bit earlier.

The egenral pattern in my area is:

1 week in february (two days of that are In service days fr teachers)
2 weeks in April regarless of when Easter falls, so sometimes there is a long weekend seperately.
1 day in May
7 weeks in Summer
1 week in October
2 days in November
2 weeks at Xmas/New Year

However, other areas have a long weekend in september and May and no November holiday and a slightly shorter Feb and/or summer. Some have two weeks in October and a week less in Summer.

If you want to do an abroad holiday in Europe with guaranted weather then you really only have the summer to do that in. April is too early for more or less guaranteed weather unless you go further afield and the same for October as it's too late.

Genghi who will then pay all the teachers the extra 8 weeks pay for the extra hours?

My 2 are at a primary school where they have 4 terms. We get 2 weeks off for the Feb and Oct for half term. A really short Easter break and then the last 2 weeks off in May and first 2 weeks off in June - seems to work well as lots of parents take advantage of cheap hols then. They broke up right at the end of July, later than most and go back first week in Sept.

I used to love the long stretch of 6 weeks when my DC were little and were easily amused. Now they are teens, one has a summer job, the other is too young and gets bored easily as her friends are on holiday for what seems like weeks. So many of their friends have divorced parents so have a holiday with both , which means being away for up to 4 weeks! I like the idea of a week off every month OP especially as I'm a TA!

wax is that a private school?

Nope MsHarry that's Scotland state school.

We had last year 7 weeks over july /august plus an inset day! Oh the humanity!! I think its funny how july and september generally has better weather.

Agree Draylon My eldest DD broke up after GCSEs on 23rd June but as we have a 13 yd old and I'm a TA we are still tied to the extortionate school holiday prices! The weather is awful now, I've just had to tether my clothes horse as it keeps being blown over. It's July apparently!

in scotland it is 8 weeks in the summer .1 week in october 2 weeks at christmas 2 weeks at easter also about another 5 inservice days through the year i always think up here it would be better less summer holidays and extra weeks off in winter when its bloody freezing

So in Scotland you don't have a Whitsun week, you have the extra week in the summer?

I agree in principal but We border 4 councils so the kids could go to any of their schools. Two of those are a grammar area. So in theory they could all have separate holidays, imagine juggling that with work, let alone the fact you wouldn't manage a family holiday.

French system is roughly 6 - 8 weeks at school, 2 off. 8 weeks in the summer. The two week holidays are staggered into 3 areas of the country.

It's good for the kids too. Days are longer though 8.30-4.30 and schools do wrap around care mostly. Mine cost 1€ an hour. 95% of mothers work and this system allows them to. The British system seems designed to be as work/mother unfriendly as possible. No idea why?

Mine do School from 8-6 and have done since aged 7, homework all done at school. Short days or no school on Wednesday's.

It is not 8 weeks in the summer in Scotland. Local authorities are able to make their own decisions - to a great extent - on the way the annual total is divided up.

That seems like along day at school for primary aged children wally but I like the idea of free time being free and a day off midweek is lovely. What happens then to the working mums? Do they get Wednesday off?

a long!

The general pattern where I am is nine weeks in the summer, two weeks at Christmas and Easter, and a half term break in the autumn and spring term, which is usually around three days. No half term in the summer term usually.

If Whitsun is in May, then that is correct MsHarry. Our DC sit exams during the whole of May (5 weeks starting at end April) so it's a long long term (up to 12 weeks) with virtually no break for those who aren't sitting exams if especially if the Easter holidays fall early.

And the school day is usually from 9am to 2pm until the end of P3, then it changes to 9am to 3pm.

A couple of times a week I have got school pick up at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm due to differing ages and an after school club, which a pain, but it has to be done.

I am glad I'm not in Scotland then. 8/9 weeks off would be a drag but I guess you can take advantage of cheaper weeks aboard at the start of the summer.