Move school terms to allow spring/autumn holidays?

[MrsRobinsonsHandprints]

Sky news have just had a report about the fires in Greece where two commentators, who were in the travel industry, argued that British school holidays need to be changed/broken up so that people could holiday in the spring and autumn when the climate was more temperate, and that travel in the summer months should be scaled back. They touched on the fact that school summer holidays were set due to farming and that Greece needed tourism.

Interested on your thoughts on this exact issue, changing holiday dates.

Whilst there are no thread police this is a forum to talk about ideas/flights of fancy. Yes we all know that some people think holidays are the devil, that think berating people is the answer to climate change, but actually talking about other things is also OK, so please froth elsewhere.

*when others are in school I mean!

I think a big priority should be to get children out in nature to recharge after an academic year of desks. Yes, it's possible to get out throughout the year but only the most commited parents are going to sit in the pouring rain in autumn and spring to let their kid experience nature.
The British summer is perfect for children to experience nature, so many changes happen, both in the natural world and farming. We generally have warm, milder summers, so perfect for getting out and doing things.

Many, many children spend the half term holidays glued to screens in the wetter half terms and extending these holidays would add to that.

You'd also be penalising the people who can't afford abroad holidays, soft play, cinema and all the other outside weather alternatives so it's a hard no from me.

Extra week before usual October and week after May?

February is the other option, but no one wants two weeks off in Feb. Or do away with half terms entirely and make easter and Christmas three weeks and summer 5 weeks.

You'll never please everyone.

The school holidays are set according to the farming year. Farming children will not be in school over the summer when they are needed at home, so if you change the holidays, you are cutting a significant number of children off from education.

I've taught in farming communities where so many farming children abscond in the afternoons of the summer term that we moved the whole school day forward so they miss less

British summer holidays are are already amongst the shortest in the world. Most people will still want to travel in the warmest months so you'd just be cramming all those holidays into an even shorter time period.

By that reasoning it would be better to have a longer summer break so holidays abroad are more spread out.

Private schools finish early July, thus allowing holidays earlier than state schools.

Not to mention that the buildings are not suited to hot weather. 30 teenagers in a room in July is horrendous. I wouldn't want to do more summer weeks in a sweaty classroom.

I'm a teacher and I would like this too, perhaps 4 weeks in the summer, three at Easter, two in October and three at Xmas.

The two spring and summer terms are 11/12 weeks each and it is looooong - kids are so tired by the end. We don't have half term in May just a couple days in Feb.

Scotland

What about those that can't afford to go abroad? Its shit enough here in July, why would i want my kids holidaying in the uk in October or April and being at school when its (supposed to be) really hot. Not the best idea, no.

We're trialling 2 weeks in October next academic year. The autumn term is always the hardest so hoping that this will make a difference.

Wales are currently considering a complete overhaul of the current school terms and holidays.

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints Appreciate that. But should we still be dictated by a system that was designed in the 1800's?

Should it be dictated by a fire in Rhodes???

Hell no. The summer holidays are over in the blink of an eye as it is.

Private schools often start earlier and end later so you can get cheaper holidays, true. But most private school parents I know still prefer to pull their kids out for a holiday that suits them & provided it doesn’t impact exams the head approves them.

We've had 2 weeks in October for years. It's great but only because most other schools don't so you can book things either more cheaply or without the crowds.

We finish at the end of June in Scotland & it's so much better.

A week in October, usually 2 weeks at Xmas, a week in February & 2 weeks at Easter.

A few long bank holiday weekends in September, May & that's it.

I prefer the long summer holidays because, as others have said, the weather is nicer here. We will be away for 3 weeks but that still leaves 3 weeks at home. My DC do holiday clubs and there's more choice of things to do in the summer. I like it that they're outdoors all day.

@annahay where I live one secondary school does 2 weeks in October but no other local schools do. I knew people with children in the secondary plus children at primary school. The extra week for the secondary mostly consists of younger teens being dragged off to work with a parent and older teens being home alone. There are no holiday groups/clubs/activities for the extra week. Parents with limited time off work will want the week when the younger children are off too so the second week is such as waste of time for the secondary ones. They are basically spending a week hanging around with little to do.

Many people holiday in the U.K.!!!

DD went to a specialist school with 2 weeks at Whitsun and 5 weeks in the summer. Imo it was much better, because people had the option of 2 weeks in the Med in May, which was still hot but not unbearable (like 40 degrees plus in July and August)?

It also meant parents only had to cope for 5 weeks in the summer!

But a longer half term might extend the season.

I agree with the first post - Take 2 weeks off the summer holidays and add an extra week on to the May and October half terms. It gives more options for holidays to places that aren’t ideal in Summer and allows a proper longer holiday at Easter, May, Summer or October or a shorter break in February.

Surely it's easier to just not go to Greece?

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads but the weather in October/November can be iffy. Places like theme parks can’t operate rides for safety reasons in poor weather. The seaside will be terrible that time of year. As much as places like Bournemouth would love the extend their season - no one is going sunbathing in drizzly October.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a shorter summer break & maybe longer half terms but people will still fly abroad.