It's not bloody half term!

[Dotdashdottinghell]

Why / when did every school holiday become half term?

The half term holidays are February, Whitsun and October, not Easter, Christmas and thr summer.

People keep saying "Happy half term" or "Enjoy the half term" etc. Why is this an accepted thing?

I agree it's annoying and it really grinds my gears to hear Christmas referred to as the 'Holidays' or 'Winter festival' or some other virtue signalling title.
We have traditions and we should stick to them for those that want to take part.

YES! 3 terms split in half by a halfterm with a holiday in between - in next week's case the Easter holiday.

I hadn't realised it was a national thing
I've heard it loads the last couple of years and it annoys me too. Half term breaks up a term. It's not hard is it :(

@Bluevelvetsofa

I think people get annoyed because it’s an inaccuracy that becomes the norm, like so many other things.

I totally agree with you, it's even worse when people say they're having a '"staycation" when referring to a holiday within the UK, as opposed to going abroad...
AARRGGHH!!! That's NOT a "staycation", the true definition is spending your break at home (in your own normal, everyday home) and doing a couple of days out

We call it mid term in Ireland except for summer holidays

Most people aren’t religious though. We don’t worry about using Mercury and Jupiter because we don’t believe in Roman gods.

Since when ? everyone here is calling it Easter holidays. mid term is not till mid May for primary schools. secondary schols will have 2 days mid term as they finish the end of May. we had mid term in February

I'm not sure it matters? It's a break between different terms or part of the terms. Call ot what you like and just nod along while others call it what they like.

No we don't.

DSs school calls them 'end of modules' 🙄 not even X holidays or X half term!

I thought it was just me. It annoys me, I know it's probably a ridiculous thing to get annoyed by. I also get annoyed when adults don't know that the clocks go forward the last weekend in March and back the last week in October - every bloody year. Or moan about the frequency and length of school holidays when this has always been the case.

Ok well where I live in Ireland we call it mid term.. teachers parents and children.. that better?

Why do you care so much? Hardly effects your life does it!

That's exactly what I thought a staycation was.. I started hearing about staycations after covid, encouraging us to holiday at home rather than going on a sun holiday

It's like some people use the terms mid term/ half term/ holidays in different ways 🤷🏻‍♀️

If its the teachers saying it then I ne worried about what their teaching.
mid is short for middle there are 3 terms of school. so therfore mid term is half way through the term. we have no finished the second term so therfore term has finished and we have Easter break. when go back it will be a new term. its not about being different its about using the word mid correctly. if a parent says it they will be quickly corrected. God what are they teaching their kids if they can't use the language we speak properly

My 3YO spent the first two days CONSTANTLY asking when we’re going on our easter holidays (thinking it meant we were going on holiday) so I kinda just wished we called it half term 🤣

no teacher or parent should be calling it mid term. if so we need a good long hard look at our education system. sweet lord.
most of my friends are teachers- as you know in Ireland 2 or 3 months summer hols. not one of them calls it mid term

I don't call summer holidays mid term and don't know anyone who does..Are we really questioning the education system because some teachers might call Easter holidays mid term?!

It's totally confusing for any normal person and stupid. 'Half term' is a short break at (surprise!) the midway point within a term. The holidays at the end of each term are known as, guess what, 'the holidays' - the Christmas (or winter) holidays, the Easter (or spring) holidays, and the summer holidays.
Why muddy waters that have been crystal clear since forever?

What on earth do you call the summer holidays then ? like it's 2 feckin months 3 if uou have secondary school. its summer holidays. yes we are questioning the education system because its the wrong use of the English language to call it bloody mid term!!!. mid is short for middle. therfore it's the middle of something. it's not the middle of the term therfore the use of English is wrong!!!!. so teaching it is wrong !!! it would be up there with a teacher saying 3+4 equals ti 5. it's WRONG. you tecah the correct way.

even our citizens advice are calling it easter holiday

I absolutely detest when people call may half term whitsun. I don’t know why it’s just such a stupid word.

As a teacher and parent I've never heard of that! It's always happy whatever the break is, never half term unless it is half term?

Easter break would be better than half term. Or just explain that it's a holiday from school; that 'holiday' doesn't always mean going away.

Or better still, actually do go away every single school holiday!