AIBU to think the six-week summer holiday should be cut to five?

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Saw that Parentkind's big parent survey this year (over 6,000 parents) found half back cutting the summer break by a week and moving it elsewhere, with only 21% against. 51% said school holidays are financially difficult. Travel groups want the weeks moved to October and February half-terms to spread prices.

Supporters say six weeks stretches budgets and childcare, and a better-spread year would ease peak prices. Opponents say the long break gives families real time together and children (and teachers) a proper rest, and changing it just moves the costs around.

Would you shorten it, or keep the six weeks?

I can always find more things to do 🙂

I agree, I hadn’t thought about it. Still, it's so nice to have that time with your family.
One day, they’ll grow up and move away, so I cherish every moment we spend together. That's priceless.

It went really quickly this year, if they were going to move it I wouldn't want October or February, stick it on may half term when you've got half a chance of nice weather

We only have five weeks here, maybe 5.5ish. We have two weeks at the May half term. But I’d definitely be in favour of having two weeks also at Feb/Oct, and cutting down that long holiday to just four weeks.

We're in an area that has a 5 week summer holiday and 2 weeks in October. We love it and wouldnt change it. The run from September to Christmas is long, and it's a hard term, adjusting to new classes etc.

The summer feels plenty long enough and another week would barely feel any different, whereas the extra week in October feels fantastic!

I think spreading the holidays around is better, else the only time you can do a two week holiday is in the summer, and many destinations just aren't suitable to travel to in that 6 week block, especially those that just have wet/dry seasons and the wet season falls in the summer holidays. People don't tend to want to do long haul in a week, especially if it's a country you can't fly direct too.

There are also benefits to most of the summer not being rammed with children the whole time for those who want child free holidays.

I can see it from both sides as I mostly travel alone, but do take my grandson away as well.

This sounds right.

God no. If I could I would extend it to 8 weeks.

We have the joint shortest summer holiday in Europe already. It’s ridiculous to suggest cutting it even shorter.

I would keep it at least 6 weeks but shift it 2weeks earlier.

We had big deal made about it being only 5 weeks for us this summer. Then the school added two development days at the end of summer term and two at the start on autumn term, which then made it include an extra weekend. So after all the fuss it was 5 weeks, 6 days🤷🏼‍♀️
Now we have 2 weeks off in October, so I’m happy we have a decent length of break and family can visit for one week and still get a week to ourselves. Oh, and the school’s made this Friday a development day, so it’s 2.5 weeks off. I just accepted whatever it is now as it always seems to change anyway.

@Wewinnow @Meredusoleil

What about GCSE & A level exams - surely it would disrupt exam season?

Its 9 weeks here in NI. I've always loved it and it goes by too quick. I worked PT when my children were younger and I bloody loved the summer hols.

I work FT now and really miss those days.

I think teachers need the break as from what I can gather, they work a lot at the start and end so only get a short break in the middle, if we take any away they won't get a break at all which isn't fair.

YABVU

I'm from NI and had 3 months summer holidays and loved it. The really short 6 week English school holiday is one of the (many) reasons why I didn't put my children into school (we live in England).

I personally feel sorry for families in England only getting 6 weeks off in summer, so shortening it even more would be awful. I also find it so sad that so many parents can't cope with their children being off school for 6 weeks. I love spending every day with my children.

The primary schools in the town where we lived during my DC's school years have two weeks for the May half term holiday and only 5 weeks for the summer holidays. The secondary schools have one week in May and 6 for the summer holidays. We always went away that second week of the May half term and the weather was always lovely.

Here in Stockport we have 5 weeks in the Summer and 2 weeks at Whit. Only for the primary schools as it clashes with GCSE exam season for high schools. I loved it, you can get a main summer holiday in at the start of June when holidays are a lot cheaper, the days are longer and places are less crowded

No. They want an additional opportunity to charge higher prices during off-peak times as well as in the summer.

6 weeks is much shorter than most other countries as it is…