To not understand why everyone is calling every school holiday "half term" all of a sudden?

[CollieFIower]

It's not "half term" now. Half term is literally halfway through a term - summer/Easter/Christmas holidays mark the end of a term.

One half term break is in October, between the summer and Christmas holidays.

One half term break is in February, halfway between the Christmas and Easter holidays.

One half term break is in late may, halfway between the Easter and summer holidays.

Then you have actual holidays that come at the end of a term, and a new term starts when school goes back afterwards.

It seems like over the last couple of years I'm seeing all holidays referred to as "half term" and I know it's hardly a big deal and yes I'm also worried about nuclear war and child poverty but it still annoys me a bit!

We call it whit week up North.

I vote to go back to calling the the 3 academic terms Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity.

as to those people saying who cares… words matter. Meanings matter. There have been several examples on this thread of people trying to make arrangements and them falling through because different people have different understanding of “half term”. It may seem trivial here, but in the wider world, not being accurate with your language can have significant, if not fatal, consequences. Deciding words mean whatever you want them to mean doesn’t bring clarity.

How dare you! Michaelmas, Lent and Easter if you please!

Drives me up the wall!!!!!
You have the Christmas, Easter and Summer HOLIDAYS with Half-terms in between (halfway through the term).
I noticed this when they changed to 6 terms but it still makes no sense as surely that means that the half-terms are now just holidays as they no longer mark the mid-point of a term.

Quite. And 'half term' is 'long leave', while we're at it.

Plus 'terms' are 'halves'. Just to add to the mix.

to be honest when I was a child (and even now) I thought witson (it will never be whitsun to me sorry!) was a holiday celebrating Winston Churchill... because they sound similar-ish. so perhaps I needed to spend another few half terms (lol) at school. I'm definitely a fool thanks for the explanation.

You may. I don’t. 3 terms, each divided into two halves.

In East Lothian there are only 3 terms. Referred to as term 1,2 and 3.

Some schools are trying not to use the word "holiday" as not everyone can go on holiday so prefer the use of the word "break"

We only have a half term in term 1 and 2. No half term in term 3 as the school year ends at the end of June.

We are in the Easter break right now and will be starting term 3 on Monday 17th April.

Pupils in secondary go up a year at the beginning of June. So our current cohort of S6s have officially left school as at 31st March and only have to go back for their final exams.

Same here!

As a teacher in a primary school myself with one child still in juniors, I agree it's incorrect and irritating.

However, my other child is at secondary school and they don't have 3 term academic years, they have 6 terms instead!

I wonder this all the time! I'm not originally from the UK and have always called any school holiday the 'school holidays'. It doesn't matter if it's midway through or at the end of the term, covers them all.

i am busy and have lot in my head. I’m not thick, in fact I’m pretty much the opposite of thick. I call them all half term, why does it matter?

Thankfully I have never heard anyone call it half-term. I can’t believe people
call the Easter holidays half-term..wth.

Yes, it's driving me mad too!

It's half term, Christmas hols, half term, Easter hols, half terms, Summer hols. Or half term and end of term.

It's like calling the final whistle at the end of a match 'half time'.

Exactly! Good analogy.

I'm in my 40s though. I've gone 40 years without hearing this and now every other person seems to be making the same mildly annoying mistake. Why? Where's it come from?

Social media seems to have made being a bit thick something to aspire to. I’m sure I remember a time when being a bit thick was something to avoid or conceal.