To think school holidays are at the worst bit of summer?

[SunflowerGardens]

Sometimes I wonder why school holidays are July - August instead of earlier in the year. The nicest sunny days seem to be May and June and it's much more pleasant to go outdoors then. Late July there's often some kind of unbearable heatwave, then the wasps come out and annoy everybody, then mid August it starts to feel a bit autumnal - nippy in the mornings and loads of the plants are obviously starting to die or thinking about dying soon.

This is lighthearted by the way, I'm not suggesting it be changed, more just sort of pondering. Before someone comes along, gets very angry and tells me to go and fuck myself for trying to change when the school holidays are I do like that September feeling - back to school on 30th July wouldn't be the same!

I don't think of August as autumnal at all.

It was so kids could help with the harvest, back in the day.
Mine are past school age now, but I spent all of those years wishing they would take 2 weeks off the summer holiday and make both half terms two weeks.

Agree. I suppose August used to be hotter, but it definitely seems that June and July are the summer months these days. Scotland break up earlier I think?

Yes and it's pretty rubbish that it coincides with when costs for taking a holiday are most expensive...

Totally agree!

They have early holidays in ROI I think?

But that's because it's the summer holidays for kids! They would change the higher pricing to whenever those holidays are, supply and demand drives the prices up.

It fits with harvest, and that guided not just school terms but also that of the courts (and indeed the Court, as aristocrats used to bugger off on The Grand Tour over the summer, bear-led by tutors in their holidays) and parliament, and universities. And it matches Europe

Then it all got reinforced here when the public exam timetable got settled.

But sitting in hot sweaty classrooms in July / August would be unbearable too. And teaching in them. I hate the heat but can get on ok if I don't have to do much. Teaching in it would be horrible.

Wales have plans to shorten the summer holidays and add more on to Xmas. I'm not sure if like that idea. 2 weeks at May half term would be a good idea though. Scotland do it slightly earlier end of June to mid August.

I totally agree! School holidays in England should start mid-June and end mid-august. Like they do in most other countries! By the time our poor kids break up in august it’s usually raining! We live rurally and by august most of the crops are being cut ready for the harvest, it always feels like the best of summer is over and staring down the barrel of autumn. Yes, I do know that’s why we have the ‘summer’ holidays in august, so that the kids could traditionally help bring in the harvest, and round here some of them do, but still, doubt this is a consideration for most kids.

I always find August a bit depressing, the weather is never as good.

Couldn't agree more. August is often disappointing. I'd like to see more local authorities do what Leicestershire do and have their holidays start a bit earlier so people have a chance of better weather.

I think the idea of the summer holiday being to help with harvest is a bit of a myth. By the time schooling and summer holidays were established, harvesting was becoming mechanised and less 'man hours' were needed.

August can get muggy here in the NW. Certainly overcast with all the weather fronts coming off the Atlantic.

I moved back here from the SE in late August 10 years ago and the difference was astounding. Went from sizzling on Brighton beach in 25 degree heat to jumpers and duvets a week later oop North!

So it does depend where you live particularly that time of year.

YABU. August doesn't feel autumnal - it's often pretty warm into September. And having kids in school for a late July 'unbearable heatwave' is hardly ideal.

Oh and obviously the school summer holidays don't coincide with higher holiday prices, they cause them!

Here are some monthly temperature averages from 2005 to 2015. July is the hottest. August is warmer than May and June.

I agree - although I'm in a country where holidays are from approx. 15th June to 15th September which is too long. By September I'd rather just get back to it.

If you mean the country, Ireland, then the holidays start earlier, because they are longer.

9 weeks for primary, July and August, more or less.

12/13 weeks for secondary, except exam years, where school finishes but exams take place in June.

Amazing for the kids. A long haul for parents.

Agree that May is usually great weather. Not so much this year.

2 week may half term isn't possible unless they moved the exams.

Whenever you have the holidays there will be an issue I think .Many exams are undertaken in June .So kids and Teachers alike can enjoy a 6 week break in July /August .By moving it we wouldnt have that set up .

It would make the Autumn term incredibly long to have them earlier. Even countries that start their summer holiday in May/June don't tend to go back until late August.

I agree, climate change is causing a seasonal shift and for the last 12 years August has been quite wet. I remember long hot dry summer holidays as a child back in the 80's, now it seems we've usually had the best of it in May /June. I agree that August can start to feel a bit autumnal too. That said if we moved the long holidays it would be a long slog till Christmas so I don't want to move the dates.

It depends which part of the country you are in. I’m in the NE and completely agree. But then a lot of my political solutions involve asking to reinstate Hadrian’s Wall.

I think schools break up far too late. The Scottish school system always seems more sensible to me.

Yeah August is rarely great weather. I’ve got 3 more summer holidays until my youngest of 3 is an adult and goes off to Uni. Then I cannot wait for earlier summer holidays after having done nearly 30yrs of school runs / school holidays by then as I have a 14yr gap between no 1 and no 3. I think a mid June holiday sounds great