To not want schools to give up summer holidays

[littleblackdress04]

Just read in papers that it’s been proposed that kids go back to school in July/ August

I think this is a rubbish idea - if it’s going to be that long then just let them have a ‘normal’ summer and go back in September.

Kids have been cooped up because of this- I’d want to take mine to the hills, go camping & let them have some freedom. Then start school in September. This isn’t a holiday for them - it’s a horrible stressful period of being cooped up & not being able to live their normal lives.

While school gives a structure and is important, so are proper periods of holiday.

I’m really against the idea but aibu? Be interested to hear other thoughts. I’ve not been particularly worried about the kids education- they will catch up in time and it will be fine

6 weeks is out of date . We are not bringot in the harvest anymore

This is a myth. The summer holidays were not to cover harvest. In fact a lot of harvest happens at a different time to July and august.

And compared to many countries around the world we have short summer breaks.

surely we are talking about some restrictions being lifted in the scenario OP talks about?

I don’t know exactly what restrictions the OP is talking about.

If we aren’t socially isolating, schools will open when they are told it’s safe to do so.

I don’t think they will open during the schools holidays because they can’t afford to do this.

If schools are open to allow children’s mental health to rebuild by doing gardening and article the children’s commissioner has suggested, that’s going to cost even more as many schools have no paint, glue or paper, let alone a garden-or a field in many cases.

If people are suggesting that teachers work unpaid through the holiday and make children who largely won’t want to be there, do art activities that staff fund with their own money, then I think they will be very disappointed.

@StrawberryBlondeStar
not only that, the article that this thread is based on came from the children’s commissioner, who quite rightly, has the education and emotional well-being of children in mind.

It wasn’t a government spokesperson, discussing the economic validity of paying teachers to work the summer.

We are not bringot in the harvest anymore

School holidays never were for that purpose. Try doing some research.

Totally agree OP. Everyone (teachers and children) need some normal kind of holidays. My kids won’t have seen their grandparents (not elderly and not at risk) for months. We intend to go visit as soon as we are able to, hopefully in August.

Most people won’t get any holidays in summer or won’t have any money. social distancing will stay in place for a while, so no softplay, playgrounds, football, swimming pool, summer camps.
so its school, or sitting at home with parents trying to work at the same time.
i know what would be better for kids!

If it's not OK for children to mix doing all those things why would it be ok for them to mix in school?

I'd be happy to be in school over the summer holidays, either a few weeks or the whole time for even minimum wage

Gosh, I don't imagine many teachers would agree with you. Teachers will need a proper break after all this. All the teachers I know are working their arses off at the moment either at home or in school, all whilst juggling childcare, bereavement, illness, many living in flats without outside spaces in London.

social distancing will stay in place for a while, so no softplay, playgrounds, football, swimming pool, summer camps

If social distancing is still in place, schools will not be reopening.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/health-52183295

Read this and see what the scientists say about low/moderate/substantial risks. Opening schools is in the ‘substantial’ category. They won’t be opened if those things are still closed.

I'd be happy to be in school over the summer holidays, either a few weeks or the whole time for even minimum wage

I wouldn’t.

I don’t think that makes me a terrible person.

Fundamentally changing the academic year wouldn't just affect schools.

It'd affect childcare settings, nurseries, colleges, universities and exam boards. Not to mention the businesses that currently have staff on term-time contracts that will need re-organised.

That will take years of planning, organising and negotiating.

No, most people are going to be thoroughly sick of hanging out with their children after this

Gosh, I don't imagine many teachers would agree with you.

I'm not talking for "many teachers". I'm giving my thoughts. There'll be teachers who agree with me and others who don't.

@jellyfrizz the difference is that with school, you know who mixes with whom. softplay etc are not traceable.

There are 700 children in my primary school. Add to that all the parent and carers that do drop off and pick up, not to mention staff. Even assuming testing were available contact tracing would be a logistical nightmare.

Er no fuck that loads of kids are doing schoolwork anyway, I just pray that the situation has eased by summer and I can take my kids to parks and the beach.

Sorry, wrong thread...

YANBU- this is hardly a restful break for any of us!! We will all need that 6 week break, especially teachers who are working throughout Easter etc.

So, have caught up with the thread.

I have realised after teaching 20 years all I am good for is babysitting.

I’m a teacher and not particularly precious about my summer 6 weeks. However I would want those weeks at some other point. I don’t think schools being properly open to everyone is realistic or sensible. I think school BUILDINGS could be opened up for the provision of childcare (if it is safe to do so). This could be staffed by the many selfless non-teacher posters on here who are quite content to work for free (you can all take annual leave from your normal job to do it!) with a few teachers on a rota to oversee them and tell them they’re doing it all wrong. I think that’s a great system.

I hope it doesn't happen.

My kids say that the classrooms can get unbearably hot in July which is obviously not good for learning.

People who have booked holidays shouldn't be forced to cancel.

More importantly I'm hoping that there will be some non-lockdown time over the summer so the kids can have some sort of summer holiday hanging out with friends, visiting places... They need this level of quality time off before going back to proper learning.

Curious - for those saying they have holidays planned in, say Wales, do you think that by the summer the attitudes of the locals living in rural holiday destinations will be open and accepting to non-locals?

How do you think they will weigh up tourist revenue versus the possibility of coronavirus invading their villages? I'm thinking it might not be as straightforward as people think.

@Beebie2 - it seems he children commissioner is interested in just grades, it doesn't sound like she took mental health and wellbeing into account by the proposal.

Not what I expected.

My children are really worried they won’t get their proper summer holiday as they say school is too hot in summer. Once things start easing back to normal I want to use the summer hols to go to the beach and see family and friends. I’ve been working still and I’m on a term time contract - I’ve worked the Easter holidays as many colleagues have been furloughed but I would like a break to actually do some things with my children in the summer.

I don’t agree with needing to get back to routines but I do think they need to see normality again.

How do you think they will weigh up tourist revenue versus the possibility of coronavirus invading their villages?
They may already have corona in their villages by then. Or they may decide they want to never get Corona and close their businesses until they can get a vaccine so people don't go there. That could be a long time coming though

People who want dcs back in school in July and August clearly have no idea how hard the summer term can be. As pp have said, warm weather is a nightmare. The classrooms are often stifling while we have to nag children to stay in the shade at break times. You can also add to the mix that children usually stay up later because of the light nights and you have a school full of grumpy hot children. It's hard to get much out of them which is why the last couple of weeks are usually doing light work and fun things. Children aren't going to 'catch up' on missed work under those circumstances.