2-week half-term

[IsThePopeCatholic]

My DD’s primary school have introduced a 2-week autumn half term holiday. The justification is that the autumn term is long and also this will allow families to benefit from cheaper holiday prices. This lost week has not been added to any other term.

I feel that my DD has only just got back into the swing of things at school. AIBU that this extra week is unnecessary?

It won't be an extra week as all state schools have to do 190 days, teachers do 195 days. There'll be less days off later in the year to compensate.

That's not possible, you must be mistaken. Unless its a private school? I think its an excellent idea btw. It is a very long term.

The secondary school where i work have done it. They cut the lunch break down to half an hour (which is pretty challenging with 1500 students) to lengthen each school day and introduced some evening INSET sessions

They’ve done this a DS school (secondary) with almost exact same justification as you mention however, DD is still at primary school with one week in October went back to school after summer before DS and will break up for summer 2/3 days after him so he’s most certainly having less school days.

As a teacher, who was in the general workforce for 30 years before retraining, it still staggers me that some parents can't seem to understand that problems with working and childcare are actually an issue for the employer. All your juggling and extra cost is because your employer won't let you have the flexibility to take care of your own children. This isn't a school issue. It's an employment issue.

My grandson's primary school removed a week from the fortnight Easter holiday and added it to the one week Whitsun holiday to stop parents taking their children out of school then and being fined. As this is the cheapest time to go and not as hot. However the downside of this was if parents have another child at another school their holidays would be different and affect child care arrangements.

State schools can’t just choose to give students less school days then they are legally allowed to. It’s not something they can do on a whim. They are legally bound.

School dates and calendars have to be signed off by the Local Authority and The Department for Education and the number of legal school days is calculated to the hour to check schools aren’t breaking the law. It would be misappropriation of taxpayer money otherwise which is illegal.

Schools are only allowed to reduce schooling days for a justified reason such as a crime has taken place, extreme weather leading to closures, health and safety reasons like a gas leak or infestation or building/infrastructure collapse. They can also be gifted extra days by the local authority, DfE and governors board if major operational changes are needed, for compensatory reasons or for reasons that are deemed beneficial to the educational and wellbeing outcomes of students.

Perhaps your son’s school have altered the times of either the school day or the time duration of break times or tutor times? Loads of schools do this. The number of holiday days may look more in number but these hours can be made up by changes to the school timings or the timings of first and second break so the bulk of students still get their legally entitled school days.

Also, different year groups may have staggered starts after summer which can count for a couple of days discrepancy. It’s not unusual for Y11 or Y7 students to start just before a weekend after summer and then the other year groups rejoin on the following Monday or Tuesday. The school has to be open for teaching on 190 days not that every single student regardless of their year group must get exactly 190 days of teaching to the minute. For example, Year 11s get study leave at some point and break up early meaning they are in school for less than 190 days.

Waiting for the school isn’t childcare comments.

We've had 2 weeks October holiday for years but we're in Scotland so usually go back mid August

We used to have 7 weeks summer and 1 October but voted to have 6 summer and 2 October instead.

As well as 2 weeks at Easter and another 2 weeks of 1/2 terms, so 14 weeks off?

My DS1 has two weeks in autumn half term and DS2 has two weeks in summer half term. They both only have a week at Easter.
It’s a pain in the backside because more childcare needed to cover holidays! Tbf DS1 is in high school and could probably manage on his own while we’re at work but he’s only just 13.
At least when DS2 goes to secondary he’ll get the same longer half term and we can make the most of the cheaper holidays…….

Love it! We have two weeks October half term and 5 in the summer. Way better

We’ve had 2 weeks in October for years!
i work in education and can tell you this break is needed. Settling children in to a new school year is hard, having long terms are also really hard.
Somewhere a long the lines the school terms will adjust, when, that’ll be up to your local authority.

we have a few days Feb, 2 weeks April, 6/7 weeks summer (adjusts every few years), 2 weeks October and 2 weeks Christmas and then inservice days spread throughout the year too…. Working parents nightmare all the holidays so I do get that side of things however, for the children’s sake the time off is required