Do you WANT longer school days and shorter school holidays?

[shadowlily]

YABU- yes I want schools to have longer school days and shorter holidays

YANBU- no I'd rather keep the hours/terms we have.

I keep seeing this is being discussed in the media today, do you think it's likely to happen? Personally I think kids would benefit more from the summer holiday and being able to catch up on the activities they've missed and socialisation with friends. They've been home schooled to keep up with the curriculum (for the most part! I know this might be a contentious statement for some!) but nothing has replaced the play dates, day trips, parties etc. they have missed.

What do you think?

No way. My kids are knackered enough as it is, so are their teachers.

Agree w Holyhead. Move art and PE, and add more proper crafts too, to 3:00 - 5:00pm. Would allow more time for catching up, help combat obesity crisis and maybe reduce some stress. Summer holidays could be a month. They are too long. Most people can't gor long luxurious summer holidays and their children are pushed pillar to post between any crappy summer holiday provision they can find. Time to modernise after 60+ years with no change.

No. For the majority It would be a sticking plaster which would very quickly fall off the reveal the festering wound below (sorry, bit graphic there ). Although there may be some benefit to those who will be taking exams next year.

I think that the government should see this instead as an opportunity to re-evaluate the curriculum and how we assess understanding, identify what is really needed to develop our young people, support and encourage a love of life long learning, open their horizons and increase social mobility. I suspect that it doesn't include knowing what the definition of a fronted adverbial is when in year 3 (although that example may be just my opinion!)

Yes this is idealistic and a long term plan, but so many of the impacts of COVID will be long term, and not fixed by knee jerk tinkering around the edges like tacking on a few hours here and there.

@Redlocks28

Private school days are longer already

We live next door to a girl that goes to the local private school. They leave the house when we do and get home when we do-the hours are identical.

That is very unusual. Presumably not doing any of the incredible range of extracurricular activities that many private schools (decent ones!) offer and are one of the leading factors in many parents selecting private school

I would not mind them taking PE out of the curriculum and it being games at the end of the day- could be taken by sports coaches, involve inter-school matches some days. Not sure how it would work in secondary schools with 1000+ children though.

I am not averse to summer holidays being reduced to 4 weeks but do think children need a longer break than a fortnight in the summer.

I don't think other holidays should be lengthened so the extra two weeks could be extra curriculum time.

@Hollyhead

Longer school day definitely although not all taught - I would take PE out of the school teaching day and have PE for all children 3.30-4.30pm most days a week. Doesn’t all have to be delivered by a qualified teacher - just responsible adults who can get them running around and moving.

I like this idea. Sports, forest school, even gardening. It'd be great for their mental health too.

(Obviously, it'd need to be funded).

Haven't read the thread. Why no voting?!

No i don't want longer school days thanks. (parent)

Don’t think longer days are a good idea but shorter holidays would be good. 6-8 weeks in the summer is unnecessary for most of us.

It's going to take more than some holiday catch ups or longer days for some children to catch up. I'd like to see more care and support for their mental wellbeing and opportunities for socialising and the non academic learning that's been missed. I dont th think more lessons on a longer day would help as there's only so much you can take in on one day, however old you are. Teachers already work really hard so this would be hard on them too.

Good idea!

From a teachers point of view, in the 6 week holiday I only get maybe 3 weeks of rest. Due to changing class, sometimes classroom, it takes me around 3 weeks to prepare to welcome my new class and to have a full understanding of their ability, to plan all the learning needed and to have appropriate support put in place for children who need it. If we were to cut these down to less than 3, I would get no break over the summer. So think we need the 6 week holiday

No. Leave things as they are.

Our school has effectively shortened the school day to ensure staggered starts and finish. I agree with staggered start and finish but it’s ended up taking 3/4 hour off my children’s school day. I’m finding it hard to fit in my work with the shorter day now. By 3:30 the school doors are locked and there are no extra curricular activities anymore.

I would like for the school just to allow my children to be in school for the same amount of time that they were there before.

As for school holidays then I’d generally welcome a restructure so that Easter holidays or half terms are longer and summer holidays are shorter but I think that the same amount of holiday should be granted.

Absolutely not. The school year is gruelling.

Children need time and space to just be. They need a childhood and school should only be a part of that.

Schools are in danger of becoming factories that churn out products. That isn't what education should be about.

The six week holiday is from when people used to work over the summer harvest, they didn’t want children to have such a long break but no one turned up so that’s why it happened. Obv things tend to be different for most now. However I think still something like 4 weeks in the summer would be good as it’s about the only time of the year there is sunshine to enjoy getting outside with their friends is beneficial

You clearly don’t know any teacher. It’s already more than a full time job!!!!

The six week holiday is from when people used to work over the summer harvest,

This is a myth.

@tillyandmilly

Why do school days end so early ? 2.30-2.45? I started at 8.30 and finished school at 4pm in the 80’s -

In the 80s we had an hour and a half for lunch, now they have 20 mins.

Certainly not. My children work hard within the school day. I work ridiculously hard during the school day. The children I work with are asking if it's home time soon from about 11.30am. I would look elsewhere if this is thrust upon us.

I would like to see two weeks holiday in June & 5 weeks in the summer. No extension to the school day but offer, as some schools did before covid, extra curriculum activities.

I just want a nice, relaxing all inclusive holiday with my children. A break from work, home schooling and the house we have been trapped in for 12 months!

I sometimes feel exasperated that the numerous skills acquired when children socialise with their peers and families are disregarded when children’s learning is discussed. Play is so important and learning occurs in every experience children encounter. To assume that learning only takes place in a classroom is short sighted.

We aren’t in UK any longer, but are in Europe.

My children go to school 9-2, although 9-1 in June & September when hotter.

They get 2 weeks off at Xmas, 1.5 at Easter, and around 11/12 weeks in the Summer.

So no Oct/Feb/May breaks.

Smaller class sizes.

YANBU.

Teacher and parent. Longer days for primary school kids are a disaster, they are already so tired by the end of the day. For everyone saying add PE and Art on to the end of the day, many kids go to external clubs and activities after school. I do think it would be good to allocate more funding to on site PE clubs for children who can’t access them financially. That would be great.

Holidays- I would do a two week half term in May/June to break up that long term more, and reduce the summer holidays by a week. That’s all I’d do.