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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think primary schools are breaking up too late this year

207 replies

notforonesecond · 20/12/2023 09:56

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?

OP posts:
Amana · 21/12/2023 21:04

Different designation of schools - voluntary aided and academies are not under LA control and can make their own decisions.

And not plucked out of the air @CurlyhairedAssassin . Fully consulted on and taken to council cabinet members. Involves headteachers, unions, the diocese, parents, neighbouring authorities. This is just one example. https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/f12503baf08f43119d6adf3eec42611391d73889/original/1687508277/aeea95c27b4cb6ba9a335eebef2c5ace_Consultation_Report_for_Cabinet_Committee.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKICO37GBEP%2F20231221%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20231221T205906Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=4bc2bf9eadffcd69f467413cd2f0f9ed24e5eb50481dc5eaf6d339847cf3e8e8

AlligatorActually · 21/12/2023 21:10

My two broke up last week and we got straight on a plane for a week in the sun. Plenty of a**home behaviour from them but at least I had palm trees to look at

Bellie710 · 21/12/2023 21:37

I love it when it works out this way, they have Xmas then afte New Year there is a week to recover before going back. We live in Scotland though and NY is a a big event so I aways prefer a late start back, it's the longest term for us as we don't get a February half term so the later the better as they have no break until Easter

H007 · 21/12/2023 21:54

We’ve already been off a week, does mean they go back 3/1 though.

TryingButItsHard · 22/12/2023 08:36

Mine broke up on 15th and I prefer it this way. You get to do activities and days out and enjoy the build up/anticipation, which us the best part. Back to school 3rd Jan as 2nd is an inset day. This is great as I'm back to work anyway and all the Christmas activities are closed come January plus the cold weather makes it even more naff. The other big thing is when they are in school until 22nd that's when all the bugs go round and we've been ill Xmas day before which is no fun. They all had colds this week, myself included, and only starting to get over it now, so glad of the week off. I feel sorry for staff and students still having to go in today.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 22/12/2023 08:45

We have an inset day today and go back on January 8th.

it’s been similar for the past few years and I definitely prefer having the time off after Christmas to really relax before the next (usually quite short) half term starts. Dd has a GCSE Welsh exam in the first week back so he’ll be able to revise well in the second week.

CyberCritical · 22/12/2023 08:56

It's been a ridiculously long half term for the kiddies in Leicester, oct break was earlier than usual WC 16th Oct for 1 week then they broke up end of yesterday which was later than usual, so 10 weeks. They all went loopy this week.

Off now and DD will be spending the day in her onesie dozing in front of the TV based on the looks of her this morning.

43ontherocksporfavor · 22/12/2023 09:00

10?? Wow that’s unheard of for me and I’ve worked in schools for 16 years. We had 7.5 and that was bad enough. I do wish they’d even out the terms. It should be child based not religious calendar based. Easter term is barely 5 weeks!

MarchingOnTogether · 22/12/2023 09:37

The dates haven't fallen well this year. But there's a.pattern, they generally break up one day earlier than the previous year. But then at some.point it has to jump forward a week, which it has this year amd it' feels too late (my own secondary age kids are fine but as a CM my after school kids have been awful, I thank the Lord they are only with me 1-2h and have the utnost sympathy for the teachers dealing with larger numbers for 6+ hours a day)!!.

SquigglePigs · 22/12/2023 09:45

I completely agree. DD is in Reception and finishes today and she's soooooooooo tired. She'll need a couple of days to recover before she can enjoy Christmas.

I feel like last Friday would have been too early but a lot of friends kids finished on Wednesday and that would have been perfect for me. Then she'd have had a couple of days chill time before properly winding up for Christmas.

She should have been going back on the 4th but fortunately her school have popped two Inset days in so she's off til the 8th. Then it's just a short 5 week half term. I'd have been much happier with 20th to the 4th than what we've got. I feel for their teachers too though - I wouldn't want to be wrangling a class of over excited, shattered 4-5 yr olds!

Eventingmum · 22/12/2023 10:17

It's the same next year too :(

petmad · 22/12/2023 13:43

It was round about 20/21 last year if i remember for my grandaughters wasnt any earlier or later. Same as when i was at school date wise i feel if it to soon in december for the younger ones their gonna think christmas day is just round the corner. No wonder some get fed up and be a pain i feel its just about right

Sproutier · 22/12/2023 14:56

Eventingmum · 22/12/2023 10:17

It's the same next year too :(

Next year Christmas is a Weds though so school running through to the Fri before shouldn't be too bad. We still get a nice slow start in Jan still though - with the weekend ours are not back until the 6th.

Teenagehorrorbag · 22/12/2023 21:57

Ours had a half day Monday and then go back on the 2nd. About normal.....

liveforsummer · 23/12/2023 07:33

Teenagehorrorbag · 22/12/2023 21:57

Ours had a half day Monday and then go back on the 2nd. About normal.....

The 2nd?!!! Poor teachers not even being able to enjoy January 1st drinks 😬

Nutellaonall · 23/12/2023 07:41

I’ve quite liked it. I’ve been able to get all the presents wrapped in my days off while the kids have been at school and I haven’t had to sort any childcare in the run up ( work part time). Also I’ve been able to book time off in the first week of the new year as not many of my colleagues wanted it. I can never get time off in the week before Christmas as everyone wants it.
The last day lots of parents went to pick up all felt v festive!

EsmeSusanOgg · 23/12/2023 07:44

I agree. My son's primary (most in our city) did not break up until Friday this week. Everyone is exhausted and hyper. Hard work for kids, staff and parents.

DinosApple · 23/12/2023 07:45

It felt late this year on the 20th, but apparently not that unusual as my photos 'from 6 (or 7) years ago today' flashed up so it must just be how Christmas falls this year.

I'm quite disappointed that the kids are back on the 4th too, exactly 2 weeks off.

Normally that would be 5th or 6th - again it's how the weekends fall making a difference.

But we do break up earlier in July as a consequence.

hanschristmassolo · 23/12/2023 08:15

It feels late this year and logistically it's been hard getting everything done whilst also working full time on a week I'd traditionally take as annual leave to spend with the kids and get Xmas ready. BUT actually it's worked out pretty well as I've been able to give all my team who requested it - much younger with no kids - the week off as lots are doing fun stuff like skiiing holidays or Dubai or travelling home or spending the week partying 😂 and I've been able to transfer the untaken leave over to take those in the new year to go back on the 8th once school goes back

Rollonfriday22 · 23/12/2023 10:09

Just thinking I’d prefer a week less in the summer for a week extra over Christmas to be able to stop a wee before and go back in second week of January.

JMSA · 23/12/2023 10:11

I work in a secondary school and yesterday (Friday) was our last day. I can't believe that tomorrow will be Christmas Eve already!

puncheur · 23/12/2023 10:15

Qwerty556 · 20/12/2023 09:58

It's two weeks no matter how you look at.

The later they go back in January, the shorter the most miserable half-term of the year is.

We broke up on the 20th and are back on the 2nd. That’s not two weeks. Official end of term in our county was the 15th but apparently academy chains can ignore this.

bearsbeets2 · 23/12/2023 10:15

I agree! The build up to Christmas is the best bit, DD broke up on Friday so only a weekend before Christmas to enjoy. Then they’re off until the 9th with two weeks to entertain her after the good bits over!

WaitingForMojo · 23/12/2023 10:19

It’s awful. No time to do the lovely bits of Christmas prep, crafting and baking, seeing Christmas lights. Everyone knackered and grouchy for Christmas Day. And when are teachers supposed to get ready for Christmas?!

Time off in miserable January isn’t the same!

I took mine out two days early as they weren’t doing anything anyway.

WaitingForMojo · 23/12/2023 10:22

Sproutier · 22/12/2023 14:56

Next year Christmas is a Weds though so school running through to the Fri before shouldn't be too bad. We still get a nice slow start in Jan still though - with the weekend ours are not back until the 6th.

Show quote history

Ours are supposed to go in on the bloody Monday next year. They won’t be!!