To think a 5 term school year is a shit idea

[Edenspirits]

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.heart.co.uk/news/school-years-could-be-split-into-five-terms/

Honestly, I actually think the kids need time out of school in normal times where there is so much bloody pressure.

I know this year has been awful but honestly, what do they need to ‘catch up’ on apart from playing with their friends?

This endless pressure drives me insane. Kids don’t even start school in some countries until age 7 yet we have ours doing SATS and all kinds of nonsense. There’s literally no joy in our education system.

Aibu?

I would be happy if they got rid of half term hols,

Not a good idea if everyone does it.

Five terms is in essence four eight week terms and one seven, with 13 weeks holiday. If the shortest break is two weeks, then summer holidays are only five weeks long. Or to retain six weeks, you end up with sixteen weeks with only a one week break at some point. So either January to May with only a week off, or August to Christmas with only a week off.

If a few schools had it, would work OK for employers and holiday providers (hotels, caravan parks for example). If everyone had it, and you cram the six weeks summer into five or four, then even more of a price hike in school holidays, or just nowhere to go for some.

They need to catch up whatever education they missed.
I don’t think they need a 5 term year but your whole post minimises exactly how detrimental this has been to their education.

I'd love this. So much more scope for holidays
of different types. Can't see it happening tho.

@Kaia20 this last year has made me question the entire education system to be honest. It’s just full of fake pressure at far too young an age with shitty measurements like SATS.

I'm so glad my last one will be left, absolutely ridiculous.
Maybe more parents will prefer to H.ed, and schools will become more like childcare.
A bit like they started off, somewhere for kids to go when parents worked in mines, or mills.

I'm not in the uk.
We have 5 terms. As a teacher I like it. In the 2 week breaks you get a week to rest and a week to prepare.
It works for the kids too.
Holidays are - 2 weeks in October, 2 weeks Christmas, 2 weeks February, 2 April weeks, 5 weeks July/August.

I don’t think there’s too much pressure but I doubt change will happen

@Devlesko yes- i think there is a lot about our system that isn’t fit for purpose. I would actually prefer shorter weeks but longer days- like 9-5 mon- weds or something. But obviously it doesn’t fit the Protestant work ethic does it?

There’s literally no joy in our education system.

I agree!

To add - the holidays differ by region.we start summer holiday up to 3 weeks earlier than some places.

I like the idea. I think a 6 week summer holiday is just a bit too long and that 4 weeks is about right.

Have you got very young children OP? My Y10 has missed over 2 terms of school and her GCSEs are next year. She has struggled with home learning and provision has been patchy. She needs to be in school as much as possible and shorter but more frequent holidays would prevent burn-out and minimise learning loss.

@NeedSomeInfoAgain I have one in secondary. But that’s exactly my point in some ways- it’s going to put the year 10s under even more presssure. It’s like this system where kids HAVE to do their gcses at 16, Alevels at 18 and the uni. No flexibility, just a shit loads of pressure and a rubbish outdated system.

My primary age DD who is 9 has hated the boring repetitive maths & grammar that has been sent home. She’s demoralised, uninspired and the last thing she needs is to be told she’s behind and has to catch up on some grammar bollocks. She’s 9 ffs

I really wish the government would fuck off. Change terms when either a) parents or b) teachers call for it, but stop meddling just because you have a gap on the 'announcements' calendar.

I want a long summer holiday, thanks. My kids have all benefited from the break.

When asked by the i newspaper whether the current six year summer holiday was too long, Mr Williamson replied: "I think we should never be nervous about looking at new routes and different ways of doing things

Looking more closely at that link, I whole-heartedly agree the summer holidays are too long.

Well, I dont fancy the 6 year [sic] summer holiday. I think that is too much potential for learning loss!

We used to be at a school with 2 weeks at Xmas, 2 weeks ar Easter, and 9 weeks in the summer. I prefer the shorter half terms we have in the UK. The kids were absolutly shattered when we went from August to Xmas with no break.
5 terms, and more even holiday distribution I could get onboard with.

But I really dont think we need educational catch up.
We need to learn how to be kids again, and play football in the park with friends, visit extended family, visit the beach, visit the museum. All the things that have been taken away from the kids over the past year.

But I really dont think we need educational catch up.
We need to learn how to be kids again, and play football in the park with friends, visit extended family, visit the beach, visit the museum. All the things that have been taken away from the kids over the past year*

Exactly @TierFourTears

They do need to catch up with fun and friendship.

They also need to catch up with a hell of a lot of education, development, confidence, life skills. I think your OP is minimising the harm that young people have suffered.

I think that we need to think creatively and be open to new ideas on how to help children recover. Otherwise we will be dealing with this for many years to come.

I don't know if 5 terms are the answer, or summer schools, repeating a year, longer days, more outdoor education.

But lets not minimize what has happened and lets be open to new ideas.

Changing to 5 terms with longer breaks but slightly shorter hols won't change the amount of days in school or the hours of teaching and learning directed and provided.

So it'll be proving that children can function better with regards fatigue (and teachers!) with a differing schedule.

They may pretend they will increase number of hours or number of days to close the gap because it looks and sounds good but they don't and won't fund education properly now - I really don't see them funding higher wages for teachers and an increased budget for all the other overheads more time in school buildings would require!

@GintyMcGinty but I am trying to think about new ideas as I think the system is shit

I also think your perspective changes depending on the age of your children.

I am far less worried about my 8 year old than my 12 year old who missed the end of primary school, whose preparation for transition to high school was non-existent and who is now close to missing half of first year.

I agree that too much is expected of our seven year olds, but it’s a fact that many of them can and do manage it well, so why should they be held black if they’re ready. It’s not like there’s no differentiation for those children who can’t keep up. The fact that other countries don’t start school until seven is a red herring IMO. From what I know from some of those countries, (which admittedly isn’t a huge amount) their children are still being educated and taught to read and write before seven, they’re just doing it in a different setting.

I don’t see what’s wrong with children doing their GCSEs at 16, A Levels at 18 etc, I agree with children being taught with their age group cohorts. How else would you do their formal exams? Should teenagers be able to do their exams whenever they want, either costing the government more because they expect extra years, or feeling pressure to do them early if they are bright?

The summer holidays are too long, and children regress too much in their learning with six weeks of doing nothing. It would be fine if parents continued to read and get their children to write things over the summer, but understandably many don’t, and lots of children would benefit from shorter summer holidays.

@Kaia20 no child has missed education you sound like a government bot.