To think 4 weeks summer is ok

[comeonlabour]

So as the title suggests, if the plans do go ahead to make summer hols 4 weeks I for one am not against it. I always think 6 weeks is way too long so 4 is more manageable

Also we will have longer half terms of 2 weeks in some cases instead of 1 so all good

Anyone else feel the same/agree with me

I would leave my min wage term time job in a school if this was brought in, and so would most of my colleagues in the same job.

Yes it’s a good idea. 6 weeks is too long. From what I hear, it seems like schools will be going down to a 4 week summer here.

Which country is this happening in?

6 weeks is fine. Childhood is not all about school.

But we're not talking about reducing the overall amount of holidays - surely you'd then just end up with clubs for 2 weeks of half term rather than 2 weeks of the summer? I don't really see the difference tbh.

I think the summer holidays should be longer. At least 8 weeks.

I’m a teacher. The long holidays with my kids are pretty much the only reason I stay in teaching. Lots of teachers would leave in this scenario.

I think that children need the longer holidays, they can have so many adventures in that time. 4 weeks just wouldn't be enough to be a proper break from school.

We get 7-8 weeks in the summer and I think it’s great. Leaves enough time for a holiday and seeing family whilst also just letting them relax at home.

Children need a childhood and freedom away from school and rigidity.

We also get 4 weeks at Christmas and Easter. I work full time, so know that it’s hard to juggle but still feel this way.

Having all the teacher training days together isn't that helpful, really. It would mean you could only introduce any new initiatives or approaches at the start of the school year all at once. Staggered is much better if you actually want the training to impact professional development / outcomes.

I think 6 weeks is the minimum! As PP says, you'd still have to pay childcare at the other half terms. I think DC need regular breaks from school, although in France they do work longer school days (7.30-4 for my 12 year old, 8-4 for my 9 year old).

We're in France and get 2 weeks in October/November, 2 weeks at Christmas, 2 weeks in February, 2 weeks in March/April and 8/9 weeks in the summer. Although secondary schools often have longer in the summer cos they let the younger years leave whilst the older ones are doing exams. Last summer my 12 year old had 13 weeks off! That was too long.

Every holiday we either sign the DC up to week long sports activities or send them to GPs or go on holiday. There are loads of holiday clubs available. The ones run by the council are means tested - the less you earn the less you pay.

The February and March/April holidays are different dates depending what part of the country you live in. Helps spread out the holiday demand.

I would not want short holidays. And to be honest I wouldn't want the shorter school days either.

Yabu

Consoder those working in teams 5w is already too short.

Yes way to make even more teachers leave the profession when they’re already struggling with retention. Do teachers get paid for holidays?

My DM was a teacher back up to mid 90s but she also worked teaching and running Saturday morning drama classes and puppet shows at kids parties, partly because she enjoyed doing this and later became an arts and drama teacher, and job shared. She was from the era of finish 3.30, had hardly any evening or weekend work and still valued and needed all her holidays including the 6 week one, to reset, refresh etc.

Yes, I think so. Not just those with families but those who like big travel adventures or have family in far flung places they like to visit.

If we were overflowing with teachers that might be fine. But in a recruitment and retention crisis, it is a factor to consider.

I agree with the point about not adding it to Feb/Oct because of the dark, but you can't really extend May because all the exams are May/June and it would be almost impossible to separate primary from Secondary holidays. The exams would mean that some pupils would be in taking exams and teachers would be in to supervise (it couldn't be optional). It would be such a conflict and childcare of different dates of holidays would be a nightmare.

It’s always people who don’t think beyond primary school who suggest this. In secondary we have exams to think about, and there are 2 weeks of the summer where a lot of staff are in for results days. So it’s not as simple as just switching things around.

Children are needed to work on farms in summer in some areas, even with 6 weeks off, lots of children miss school to work. And in summer we move our school times 8-2 to accommodate children needed back home, but they still miss a lot

I actually think longer would be better. In America they usually get 2 to 3 months. Now that's a summer break!
I'm not the best person to respond though, as I home educate now. But it used to drive me crazy that the kids were in school in June and half of July, which is usually gloriously sunny with longer sunny evenings. So, they'd be spending their days indoors in hot classrooms and having to settle down for bed when it's still light out, instead of playing in the garden.
Then they break up, the weather turns and sun sets earlier. Give them a chance to have plenty of days playing in the sun and splashing about in pools/paddling pools! They only get one childhood and a fixed amount of summers to be kids.

Same! I loved it and hated when it was time to resume the grind.

There are two weeks of the summer holidays that I can’t take a holiday as a high school teacher as we are needed in for GCSE and Alevel results days. I don’t mind this as I have 3/4 weeks where I can do something - cut it down anymore and it would be the final push to make me leave. The summer holidays are also the only time where I feel I spend quality time with my own children.

Never heard of these plans, but I wouldn’t be keen. Happy with 6 weeks.

My DC are Y7 and Y10, they have 8 weeks and it doesn’t feel too long at all. We have a 2 week family holiday, the rest of the time they are off out with their mates. Once they get a bit older and you’re not using holiday clubs it’s much easier - and DC love it!

I agree. It feels like summer is nearly over by the time they break up

Do you work outside the home?