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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think schools breaking up at the end of July is insane?

121 replies

Ploughmanscheese · 21/08/2021 11:58

If term time holidays are so strongly discouraged, surely at least giving us a fighting chance of accessing decent weather would be fair?

I’m pushed to think of five nice days in august this year!

OP posts:
MadMadMadamMim · 21/08/2021 12:00

Bizarre that you think school terms should run purely round when you think the weather is nicest!

OwlinaTree · 21/08/2021 12:00

Yes it is a shame we can't have July off. Would be a long stretch to Xmas though if we went back in August!

RosieLemonade · 21/08/2021 12:01

Weather has been awful this August.

Waspsarearseholes · 21/08/2021 12:02

Well, traditionally the school calendar revolved around the farming calendar so yes, they are (or were) designed to allow children to help in the farm. Some summers are nice, some are dreadful, you can't really have ad hoc and changeable holidays based on the weather forecast.

ineedaholidaynow · 21/08/2021 12:03

@OwlinaTree isn't that what they do in Scotland. Schools are already back there.

Notimeforaname · 21/08/2021 12:03

School holidays are fab in Ireland. ..the weather not so muchGrin
In secondary school, you finish end of May and go back the start of September.

For primarily school they finish up the end of june

SVlover · 21/08/2021 12:03

In Northern Ireland we have all July and august off with shorter holidays at Easter etc.

Poptart4 · 21/08/2021 12:06

In my country the schools break for summer at the end of June. The kids have 2 whole months off and it's way too long. The kids are bored and the parents are worn out trying to keep them entertained. Not to mention the hassle of finding childcare for the summer.

Be grateful for your shorter summer break.

minipie · 21/08/2021 12:07

Private schools break up in early July. We have 8+ weeks to fill and find childcare for. Kids are feral by the end. Yeah sometimes there’s nice weather in July but not always by any means. Be careful what you wish for!

I would personally prefer to have two weeks break in May (often lovely weather then) and a shorter summer holiday

minipie · 21/08/2021 12:08

Cross posted PopTart!

Original poster
Ploughmanscheese · 21/08/2021 12:08

@MadMadMadamMim

Bizarre that you think school terms should run purely round when you think the weather is nicest!
I’m honestly not thinking of it as bizarre but isn’t that the thinking - to have a summer break?

Obviously Christmas and Easter are religious in nature but summer holidays are just that, aren’t they? Or am I misunderstanding?

I don’t think the holidays necessarily need to be longer, but adjusting so that the summer break isn’t spent under grey skies and rain! Grin

OP posts:
JaneJeffer · 21/08/2021 12:09

DS has been on holidays since the end of May here. Not that we went anywhere.

Original poster
Ploughmanscheese · 21/08/2021 12:09

Year 11?

OP posts:
OwlinaTree · 21/08/2021 12:11

I know Scotland go back earlier - is there a longer half term break in October?

minipie · 21/08/2021 12:11

Honestly in the UK it is impossible to predict when the good and bad weather will be. I know we’ve had a run of rubbish Augusts but it could easily swap to rubbish Julys.

Caspianberg · 21/08/2021 12:14

We have longer holidays where we live. Break up mid June, back September. So 10 weeks. You get it warm at some point with long holidays

caughtinanet · 21/08/2021 12:26

@minipie

Honestly in the UK it is impossible to predict when the good and bad weather will be. I know we’ve had a run of rubbish Augusts but it could easily swap to rubbish Julys.
This, I always wonder if anyone actually registers the English weather properly when they post as if there's some predicatability to it.

How are they so unaware of this fact and of the fact not not everywhere gets the same weather at the same time

It's barely rained where I am in August and I've never worn anything more than a short sleeved top for weeks

SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/08/2021 12:29

@minipie

Private schools break up in early July. We have 8+ weeks to fill and find childcare for. Kids are feral by the end. Yeah sometimes there’s nice weather in July but not always by any means. Be careful what you wish for!

I would personally prefer to have two weeks break in May (often lovely weather then) and a shorter summer holiday

This is why ours paid for long summer camps no matter what😂
SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/08/2021 12:30

(to add, not in uk. Eu country end of june-sept holidays)

HalloHello · 21/08/2021 12:35

Yep we start on June as it's the best weather, August is often wet here. Based on farming calendar AFAIK

Groovee · 21/08/2021 12:39

We finish end of June/start of July. Return mid August, a week off in October and this year finish on the 17th Dec unlike the original 23rd December date that was given. Often seen it pour in July.

Original poster
Ploughmanscheese · 21/08/2021 12:45

I get that UK weather isn’t predictable but july is the hottest month - here

It is so frustrating when trapped in school sweating and hot children going to bed early in light bedrooms and then when the weather turns we are all off!

OP posts:
Fitschkels · 21/08/2021 12:52

We should have July off then another week half term in September, or could have two weeks then…. or a ten day sept half term and a ten day May half term

Comedycook · 21/08/2021 12:54

Weather is June/July always seems to be better than August. This year since my DC have broken up from school, we haven't had one single really hot day ..yet the last couple of weeks of school, we were in a heatwave. I've always thought they should start school summer hols in June and they should go back to school in August.

BillyWhozz · 21/08/2021 13:11

Where I live the summer holidays have been cut to 5 weeks (start of August) and the extra week added to October. Wouldn't have been my choice - makes a summer holiday more difficult due to work patterns and why not have 2 weeks at the May half term when it's nicer? First world problems granted...