UK summer holidays start far too late

[Stuckforthefourthtime]

We're already into summer, the weather is lovely and it's weeks until the school holidays start.

July is consistently the warmest month in the UK, yet the kids (and teachers) spend it on school and parents commuting and at work. www.statista.com/statistics/322658/monthly-average-daily-temperatures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/. The rest of Europe is on holiday already.

Aibu to think they should start earlier?

We always book a week in Scotland at the end of August when the kids are back at school.

It's lovely

In Ireland my school day started at 9. We ended at 3 in primary and it was 9-4 in secondary with a half day on Wednesdays. In both primary and secondary we had a mid morning break of 15 minutes and lunch was 40 mins iirc. Kids in national schools went from 9 - 2 or maybe 2.30 but their school year was about a month longer than mine.

My DCs went from 8-3 in both elementary and high school in the US with just 40 minutes for lunch in both, and a mid morning break of 10 minutes only as far as age 7.

I finish on Friday whoop! We're back in at the end of August, though the kids don't come back until the 2nd September.

We always book a week in Scotland at the end of August when the kids are back at school.
*
It's lovely*

We're going down to norfolk (from Scotland) before the English schools break up

Yup both my kids primary and secondaries start at 9am. The primary school runs from 9.00-2.00pm (P1 and P2) and 9.00-3.00pm (P3-P7). Secondary 9.00am-3.30pm).

I'm in the UK and summer holidays started last week

We used to start the holidays earlier than the rest of the country. It was great!

Poland is already on holiday (usually around 24th June), back to school 1st Sept. But is way too hot there for my liking.

Dorset still have 3 weeks of school.

people say that, but frankly, it's hard finding and funding childcare all year round, I don't get that argument at all. Mine finish at 3pm, neither DH or I are home anywhere so early anyway.

I have 1 year 4 who goes to afterschool club, and 1 year 8 who lets theirself in on days I am working all day. I don't mind them being at home for 2 hours on their own but its pretty impossible to find holiday childcare for year 6+ (I don't want to leave a 12 year old at home all day) and, like pp said, a lot of the camps for younger ones finish at 3 or 3.30pm, so for me holidays are infinitely harder.

I’m sure when I was at school we were done by somewhere around the 11th - 15 July, now it’s at least 10 days later. DD doesn’t finish until the 24th!!!

I remember as a child going on holidays to England in July and my eyes nearly popping out of my head that there were children in school uniform. I would have considered it inhuman cruelty to have to go to school in July

I think school holidays should be staggered to some degree, so that say Essex was different from Suffolk. This would mean some schools starting holidays earlier than now.

The only thing about this is I can imagine complaints about having to re-start school in early to mid-August, and a very long autumn term.

I have one (boarding school) who broke up last week, and two who break up this week. So I could do with the school holidays starting several weeks later, in fact. They all go back mid September. All at English independent schools, so there isn't even any money to take advantage of cheaper holidays (no money left for holidays of any description, anywhere).

You've chosen to send three children to independent schools though; many people (if they had many thousands of pounds to spare) would choose to use some of that money for holidays and experiences for the family instead.

@AtseneGatnalp

I have one (boarding school) who broke up last week, and two who break up this week. So I could do with the school holidays starting several weeks later, in fact. They all go back mid September. All at English independent schools, so there isn't even any money to take advantage of cheaper holidays (no money left for holidays of any description, anywhere).

you can afford holidays but you choose to spend your excess income on private schools for 3 children instead.

It was suggested upthread to have 3 weeks at Christmas and cut the summer holiday to 4 weeks. I'd hate that. The excitement and hype and loss of routine is followed by the post Christmas slump. It's cold and dark early and lots of things are closed. Very limited opportunities to get out and burn energy off. My kids would drive each other and me up the wall if they had 3 weeks off then.

We were at St Pancras today and there were loads of kids going on holiday with their families so I assumed it’s school hols.

Thanks for that input, @AlwaysSkint . Needless to say, there is always more to a story than there might seem to be at face value.

@AtseneGatnalp true, I shouldn't assume your circumstances. I went to private school, 90% of fees funded by the military so I should know better. Apologies.

All at English independent schools, so there isn't even any money to take advantage of cheaper holidays (no money left for holidays of any description, anywhere).
This sentence does suggest that the reason there is no money for holidays is because the children are at private school i.e. the money is going on fees.

I have always thought the holidays here are quite short and summer one seems really late!

Growing up the school summer holiday was 1st of June until early to mid August. Week off in October, 2 to 3 weeks for Christmas and another week in February. Also everyone started school aged 7. The kids here start so young!

@DrCoconut I think that was my suggestion and I totally agree about post-Christmas slump but I think an extra week before Christmas would be brilliant, and would mean Christmas prep wasn't so rushed. So for example in 2019 - break up on 13 Dec, then a whole week of visiting grottos, Christmas lights, santa trains etc, before Christmas week. Then back to school first week of Jan as usual.

Totally agree about the Christmas holiday. All the fun stuff is in the build up but we have to squeeze it into the weekends and everyone's exhausted by the time we get there.

Yanbu.

Except calling it UK rather than E and W but that's been pointed out.

E and W should definitely move in line with Scottish holidays. Makes much more sense.

I think it’s just fine thank you. One finishes next Friday the other the Friday after, perfect