Summer holidays - outdated

[Wednesdayafternoon]

So I was just scrolling through Facebook and I saw some pictures after school club/breakfast club to my sons school put up and it just got me thinking how crazy it is that schools just completely shut down for like 6-7 weeks.
They have all these facilities during term time to support working families because there is obviously a need to for it, but in the holidays... ahh f*ck it!
Obviously o know there's summer schemes but at a massive expense and also different hours and locations.
My sons school isn't offering one so he's attending some random school for 3 days over the summer mainly just so he's socialising!
I'm extremely lucky as my mum is a great help to me during the holidays. And obviously I'm very much looking forward to spending more time with my boys and no school run... hurry!!!
But I just find it crazy that schools close for such a significant period of time.
Obviously I know school isn't childcare but it school itself enables parents to work so it kind of is 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'm a teacher and I'd be happy with a month in summer. I've thought the holidays needed adjusting for ages and lockdown would have been a great chance to shift things, but the DfE is next to useless.

I would want my wage increased to include the extra two weeks' work, though. Our contracts are odd and we're not paid for 13 weeks of holiday. I am worried about these 6 weeks because I'm the sole earner in our household and I'm going to be using my overdraft/savings to get us through (I top up my part-time wage with supply but obviously no supply while schools are closed). An extra £800 a year would be really useful.

It takes me probably 2 weeks to re-back boards, print and laminate all the display resources, clean my classroom and move all the furniture, that’s without any planning or resourcing of lessons. It would be nice to have a couple of weeks actual holiday as I also usually work most days in half term and at least 1 week in Easter and Christmas to get all the planning and resourcing done.

@Hellothere54 You really need to stop doing all that. Unsustainable and really not OK to expect it.

I guess you're primary but this is not a thing at all in secondary. I've never been into school in the holidays unless I forgot something. Give yourself a break.

I’m a TA and I agree OP. Don’t get me wrong , it’s exhausting this last week but that’s because of the wind down and preparation going on for September. But, if we didn’t do it this way, that wouldn’t all be necessary. I find the 6 week breaK too long. Would rather have a shorter break, a month at most and maybe tag more days on to to other holidays.

My kids are 12 and 7. It is easier for me in summer, no rushing for school bell, sports day clubs stop, no homework. I take some AL Dh takes some and grandparents help too. I really enjoy the break from having to be at the school gate twice a day, the change of routine as they sleep later and have longer evenings.

Appreciate for vulnerable it is a long time and those without help from family for childcare the logistics are difficult.

@Hellothere54 I’m backing boards this week for the teacher and writing names on books etc.

In Spain the break is 10 weeks. It's a looong time.

Two weeks is excessive in primary, @Hercisback , in my experience. I spent a day, no more, doing displays in my room in the summer. Many colleagues wouldn't be in at all. A couple of days of other holidays planning. I'm guessing the pp is an ECT.

children need the break from school by the time it gets to the end of summer term, staff too
They don’t get a break though. They have to go to whatever childcare their working parents can organise. Often it ends up being cobbled together between family members and paid holiday clubs (which are probably miles away). It seems silly when there are schools just down the road which have all of the facilities in place, sports halls and theatres and canteens etc, and appropriate security. Fair enough the staff may not want to work but they could use the facilities and bring in holiday staff to run the clubs.

Curious, how precious and valuable were they if working full time with restricted AL?

No, school day at my daughters primary is 9.10 to 14.50 (so shorter) and secondary is roughly 9 to 15.45 though finishing at 13.15 on Fridays. So a short school day AND year. Our education system is a relic of a time (in fairness not that long ago) when it would be rare enough for women to be working full time outside the home. And also of a very agrarian society where children over a certain age absolutely were expected to help out in the busier summer months on their own and other peoples farms or other businesses.

But like a previous poster has pointed out, most of these children end up in summer schemes or being passed between family members which can be equally tiring.
It's not like all children get the privilege of chilling at home with one or both of their parents all holidays.

I’m totally the other camp. I’d have at least 8 weeks in the summer and a month for Christmas and Easter in an ideal world. I think school is too long and children need to be home more.

I get three weeks holiday a year and maybe one or two days of that is spent on myself.

Wouldn't it be nice if we all got to enjoy our work holidays!

Well these are separate issues. It conflates childcare and education which are separate needs but I agree they both need to be considered. I don’t think teachers should be used for childcare even if the school setting is used for ease/practicality.

Yes exactly. What about these morning and after school clubs?
They are all so important and supportive... just not during the school break!

You get below the legal holiday allowance assuming you're in the UK OP. That's not the fault of teachers.

I don't believe I do as I don't work full time hours.
I also never said it was any fault of any teacher whatsoever so not really sure about that comment!

I grew up in America and we got out mid June and went back first week in September. No October half term and just a week at Xmas, but the long holiday didn't affect our schooling.
I like it the way it is - but I don't have to worry about childcare anymore.

You're right, people are conflating school with childcare.

The purpose of school is 190 days of education. A handy benefit of that nowadays is childcare. Subsidised holiday childcare would be a better policy.

Teachers don't get paid for the Summer holidays. Perhaps you could ask your employer for 6 weeks unpaid or reduce your hours by 6 weeks per year to have more time off as well.

I personally think 4 weeks is enough in summer, give the extra 2 weeks off in winter, (January) when days are darker and colder, also saving on heating for schools.

If you work below FT hours then you should still get the pro rata amount, giving you approx 5 weeks with no work in them.

Your comment re "wouldn't it be nice if we all got to enjoy our holidays" was implying only teachers get to enjoy holidays....

I'll have very little time "to myself" this holiday as I'll have my own kids. Still can't wait!

Who wants 2 weeks off stuck inside in a wet cold January? No thanks!

I haven’t RTFT but I agree with the OP and I think either working practices need to align with school holidays or vice versa or (more realistic) both meet somewhere in the middle. It’s a complete nightmare for working parents, especially with no family in the country to help, over the long holidays. I’ll be spending at least £50 a day to cover school hour clubs and still paying before and after school childcare costs on top of that. So at least £100 a day all in.