Summer holidays should be longer

[noblegiraffe]

Our kids have the shortest summer holidays in Europe, Italy have 13 weeks, even Ireland has 9.

They're under pressure so much at school they need more time to just be kids. Classrooms are so hot in the last few weeks of term that it's impossible to learn effectively anyway.

I think we should add at least an extra two weeks to the summer holidays, so break up near the start of July. This would bring us more into line with private schools too.

And with longer holidays it might help recruit and retain teachers, and reduce competition for summer annual leave slots for working parents. It could even reduce the cost of holidays as 'peak season' would be longer.

I had 10 weeks off growing up. It was too long towards the end I was board. Then there's the adjustment to going back after a long break. My own DD struggles after the school holidays settling back into routine.

I don't think they should be longer, six weeks is about right. Other countries arrange things differently as it's over 30C for three months of the year.

I do think they should be earlier in England though. June/July is actually when summer is, not July/August.

What about those who go away in those holidays. February is perfect for skiing/snowboarding holidays and we like a city break in October when it's cooler weather.
We personally miss the 2 weeks DS used to get off in October in primary as we could go to places like Mexico on holiday, it's not feasible in the summer.

I think YABU in terms of longer summer holidays - I think the youngest ones in particular find it confusing enough having such a long break and then trying to get in to the routine of school again. I also wonder if it makes school refusal more likely for some kids when they have had a such a long period off.

But YANBU if you wondered if a shorter school day would be better and to have more breaks during the year imo (maybe half terms could be two weeks?). I realise such ideas won’t be popular as most parents need to be at work and it would increase childcare issues/costs, but I do think from a health perspective that we overeducate our youngest children - I personally don’t think it’s ideal that under 7’s usually spend over 6 hours a day at school (and that it’s too focused on educational goals/too much time sitting at a desk even at that age, but that’s another thread).

Yeah like making the summer holidays shorter...

My SIL in Italy finds it quite a struggle. Most of her friends either have grandparents nearby that they outsource the kids to or they have only one working parent.
She used to get an au pair for the summer when the kids were younger. Now they split between UK grandmother coming over for a week, going for a fortnight to Italian grandparents at the other end of the country, and summer camps. It's not easy especially as the GPs get older and are not as able to look after kids.
I think I prefer it spaced out over the year but maybe we could have a couple of weeks extra.
France for example have far more days holiday than the UK - I think the French part of my office gets 35 days basic while we get 25 - so they all basically take the whole of August off.

You'd need to convince me that what kids really need is more school, rather than parents need better childcare options and employers who offer more flexibility.

Or indeed lower costs so that parents don't need to both work full time just to live.

And this shouldn't mean that extra provision must come from schools. Other areas of society are also responsible for playing their part.

I don't think returning to the past where women lacked economic agency and were SAHMs is desirable personally..

I think the evidence on summer learning loss is quite significant. It has to be balanced against other things and on balance 6 weeks seems fair but I certainly don't think the evidence that families want/need longer holidays is there.

Obviously your position as someone who gets all the holidays off makes you highly unbiased here

I'm all for it if we get an extra couple of weeks annual leave a year!

I think the school holiday system is about right in the UK. They get regular breaks and the summer is a decent length to have a proper break but not too long. If anything I'd say maybe add a week to May half term and take it away from Easter or summer to compensate, but beyond that I think it's ok. Ideally you want a good chunk of holiday time between May and September when the weather is at its best.

DS's secondary school has just moved to having 3 weeks at Christmas (to compensate for teachers having to deliver an enrichment programme on Wednesdays throughout the school year). To be honest I'm not looking forward to it, it seems just about the worst time of year to have such a long break and we won't be able to take anymore time off work. I understand that the autumn term is a long term, but I think 2 weeks is enough time to be well rested. If they really had to add an extra weeks holiday to the autumn term they could at least have put it in October when the weather is better and there are more holiday options.

I'm a bit torn on this. When my DDs were young I would have loved 8 weeks with them (I also think they should have an extra week at Christmas). Now having a DS with severe autism I am wishing the holiday was shorter. He thrives on routine and loves school. He's already had a meltdown today due to routine change.
Genuinely thought I do think summer holidays should be longer. The kids always seem so knackered by half term.

I get 33 days annual leave, plus 12 bank holidays.

I work in an FE college (non-teaching role).

Because you work in a college 🙄 most people get 20-25 days + 8 bank holidays. With young children it's a nightmare even with 2 parents in the household, with only 1 it must be impossible

@noblegiraffe what I haven’t seen you address is people telling you the total time off is roughly the same give or take. So your say 8 weeks…are you then suggesting that the 2 weeks are taken from another term? Say drop 2 half terms? Or are you saying add on 2 weeks and keep the same? Certain countries shut down industry over the summer and everyone has the same weeks off etc which clearly will help with childcare, there’s so many variants.

OP, a lot of your replies are 'Well perhaps the government should do this' and 'Well perhaps the government should do that' etc.

Mental health issues, poverty, rising youth crime rates, childcare etc are all 'perhaps'.

The truth is while all of those things are still a problem, all the 'perhaps' in the world isn't going to help.

So no, the school Summer holidays shouldn't be lengthened until such a time when you can stop saying 'perhaps'.

Because as a teacher they want more holidays!

We'd love it because one of us is a SAHP. Other families, not so much!

What flexibility should ALL employers offer? (Not talking about just office jobs here)

Does Finland not have “fritids” like in Sweden? The schools provide before and after school clubs during term time and in holiday time it’s clubs all day. The only time it’s closed in July and bank holidays like Christmas Day - so everyone gets 4 weeks together and it’s capoed at £120 (ish) a month but for low income families it’s free. Being a “fritids” teacher is a different job to being a regular teacher and is treated differently. The children get a hot school lunch just lunch at school- though more salad than in the winter. This system may fix many of the issues PP have raised.

Ironically in the UK the funded play schemes are for those not working…! Because in the UK those unemployed seem least equipped to look after their children.

@noblegiraffe
Private school parents get slightly cheaper holiday deals as they break up a couple of weeks earlier than state, but schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland break up at the end of June so demand will have already increased for holiday accommodation, even if it’s not peaked for flights from England and Wales.

@noblegiraffe i love the summer holidays .
All kids need the break .
We start end of June start of July and go back mid August anyway.
school holidays are fine just as they are.
Seen a lot of schools messing around with the 2 week October break we get here and I love that break too.

These are not possibilities/options for everyone.