To think primary schools are breaking up too late this year

[notforonesecond]

I know some schools finished last week but my 2 don’t break up til Friday.

They’re exhausted, they’re acting up, the Christmas excitement has taken over and turned them into a right bag of dicks this week.

I don’t remember ever breaking up this late when I was a kid.

And they’re off til 8th January. God help me!

Should I just be glad they’re out of the house?

Sixth Form breaks up today. Personally, I think that would be a better date for the primary schools too

School on Christmas Eve Eve is just wrong. I’m v glad that’s a Saturday this year.

The annoying bit about a late finish and later return is that everything festive shuts up by new year and you've then got a week with crap weather and little to do. It's annoying that events don't tie in with when children have the time.
At least do the 12 days of Christmas until the 6th.

We don't break up until the end of this week, but it's the penultimate week that my two totally lose the plot. They ease up a bit in the last week when the end is in sight.

It's been a 9 week + term here and my 5 year old is so tired/over it that she's in tears all the time. Really looking forward to the break now!

The grass is always greener. Ours are already off. We have more days than we need this side of Christmas but it's going to be a nightmare getting them back in on the 2nd.

like pp we agree. Break up Friday and back the 8th then it’s five weeks before February and the five before Easter. We break up for Easter what I feel is really early this year. 22nd of March!! Most others I’ve seen is the week after

Last day today and back on the 4th here, which for once feels about right!

In complete agreement with you OP. I have a ND DS and his behaviour always dips towards the end of the long terms. Spring term is always his best, and next year it’s only 5 weeks until half term and then another 5 until Easter! Whereas this term has been 8 and 7, it’s silly to have it so unbalanced.

My DC school has an inset on the 8th of January, why couldn’t that be on Friday the 22nd?!

Our school holidays are the same for primary and secondary, although dd l's school has an inset day on Friday. Das doesn't!

As a parent, I have always hated this term. It's just so long! It must be doubly bad for school .

5 Sept - 22 Dec is 80 days - that's 40% or so of teaching days for the year.! Scottish school go back in August, so even longer.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads We go back in August but get 2 weeks off in October

Mine have been off since the 7th and go back on the 8th Jan!

Not ideal for childcare but great for them as they were exhausted

14/15th for us and all (including me) back on 2nd January. That's going to be a long January.

My DS breaks up Friday too. He has sen and he hasn't coped at all this week. He's exhausted. I've never done this before but I've taken him out today in the hope that he'll rest and then make it through the last two days. Him being there was making life harder for everyone. I've already looked up next year and they break up much earlier 🙂

Mine are absolutely wabbit, this has been a long term. The older have launched a campaign to stay off for the last two days ‘it’s pointless, it’s just colouring in, I can use the time to study’ and the youngest is drooping like a Christmas cactus. They’ll be asleep all weekend.

Our primaries finish today, back on the 8th.

Talking to DS’s teacher she said this week has been a nightmare because they’re all so tired - they can’t even just let them have normal playtime because there’s so much tired grumpiness causing issues, the teachers have had to do structured games at playtime. They must be desperate for a break!

Ours broke up last Friday and go back on 2nd Jan. I think it’s the earliest they’ve ever broken up, I’m sure they broke up on the 22nd once years ago, which meant I worked until 22nd too and everything was a rush. It’s a much better way round, I’d hate to have a week off with them after new year when there’s nothing to do and it’s cold dark and boring, better having an extra week before Christmas.

I always loved them being in school right up to Christmas. The activities were more spread out and I had more time to finish wrapping and sorting.

Then they had two weeks to relax with the entertainment of all their new toys.

This has been a long term!

My daughter broke up last Thursday and if off until January 8th 😳.

Just waiting for my nephews to break up this week to get the festivities into full swing 🤶

Ours finished last Friday and it was definitely time!

We finished on the 15th this year and, from a teacher's point of view, it was so much better. We managed to have a good time in the last week- still did a lot of useful work and also had the energy left to properly enjoy some Christmas activities. It's usually like going to hell in a handcart for the last week. Sadly it's back to a 20th break up next year.

This year we have an 8 week final half term in the summer. That is going to be thoroughly dreadful.

Half term was late this year, so they haven't had to do a longer half term here. Only way to look at it, is that it gives you an extra day or two to get stuff done without having to worry about them.

It's only because Christmas is on a Monday. I remember finishing on the 23rd once because it was on a Sunday. Honestly, I think the less time at home before Christmas, the better. After Christmas they'll have lots of toys, games, films, etc to keep them occupied. It's much better to have time off AFTER Christmas.

I love them being off that first week in January.

My son is at secondary - they break up on Friday (short day on Friday so not long after lunch) - they are still doing work though there's other things going on too.

Fairly standard here.