Two independent schools to defer summer term until June - August

[BoardingSchoolMater]

I sincerely hope my DC's schools do the same.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8238469/Schools-summer.html

Everyone needs their summer holiday. This is a daft idea, I can't see how some schools can be off, some back, some with online learning, some teachers having to provide both online and then teaching while others are not.

I'm in a school, I deal with children but not in a teaching capacity. My pay is very, very small and even smaller now I am furloughed. It is also annualised meaning it is distributed over a year but takes into account the fact that there are the longer holidays, for which I don't get paid. To then have to come in during those holidays would make a mockery of my pay, I shall just hand in my notice. For the little I'm getting (it's so little I already get UC top-up) it's not worth risking COVID-19 and everything else.....

@RaraRachael - your school might have online learning but what about children without access to a laptop?

My oldest is in year 12 and I certainly hope that his school follows in suit. Exams are well and truly fucked for the kids who sit them this year, but perhaps something can be salvaged for those who have them next year.

There are many schools still open to care for vulnerable children and those of essential workers. Are they not entitled to some time off?

@PlonkyPlink
I'd email and ask for a bit more. It's difficult to guage how much to provide. They may signpost you to White Rose or BBC but may give you ideas.
If in any doubt I always do some times table and number fact revision.

particularly as nobody's going to be going on holidays this summer.

Do you know this for sure? I’m a teacher with 5 weeks away booked, which I’m more than happy to still take if I end up still having the opportunity.

I understand that currently plans are on hold and flights indefinitely halted...but, that doesn’t mean that won’t change with people’s well-being and the economy in mind, if it’s deemed safe enough to change.

My understanding was that, it’s not a case of people ‘definitely won’t be going on holiday’...more of a case that we don’t know. Probably not...but not definitive.

So why is it appropriate of you, to be the one to suggest my holiday should just get cancelled anyway and I should be drafted in to work instead, when I normally wouldn’t be working. If my holiday is cancelled in a couple of months, it’s cancelled...but I think actively calling for that now is cruel.

So you think some schools should have holidays at one time, some at another?

Actually no. I think that in general, schooling is not effective, and teachers are unable to do their job in this current, unprecedented situation. I think it would be a good idea if the long holiday was moved to now, with all schools (state I guess, as private are self managing) off for the next 4-5 weeks, with the term dates shifted accordingly. Obviously July to Christmas is a long time, so it would need to have 2 half term breaks, preferably at least one, if not both, of 2 weeks each.

I can't really see why it doesn't make sense to have teachers and children off at a time when it is hard for them to work/learn, and in school at a time when it is easier for them to work/learn.

Yes, teachers might have to cancel their summer holiday plans, but a) they are quite likely to have to do that anyway, and b) surely that's a very small price to pay for job security, full pay throughout and being able to stay safe and help save lives.

There are many schools still open to care for vulnerable children and those of essential workers. Are they not entitled to some time off?

Surely that's a skeleton crew, though? Obviously they're entitled to some time off which just points to the general growing intractability of the situation we find ourselves in.

There's a building inequality between those who are working now and those who aren't and we're just ignoring the inevitable reckoning.

I would be pretty happy if my child's school did this. They are trying hard to provide a home programme but we are not teachers and also need to work full time ourselves. We'd miss out on a summer holiday but it's a trade off I would take.

I mentioned this in a thread a couple of weeks ago, namely I thought many private schools will sit in the summer holidays. Private schools are going to have to fight for their survival. If parents are losing jobs, taking loans out to pay fees etc they are going to want to feel like the burden is being shared.

School buildings are really designed to be inside when the weather is at its hottest. Seriously. Some of your children will melt.

aren't

"Everyone needs their summer holiday."

We may need to move around holiday and work timing until a vaccine or much more effective treatments are developed for COVID

Viruses tend to be less virulent in summer and the NHS is much less busy with other ailments

Summer looks the best time for both adults and kids to get 2-3 months work in,
for businesses to make some money,
before maybe a cycle of further school closures for several months over winter

What about the businesses that rely on summer trade for money? As well as holidays, zoos cafes soft plays all forms of days out? They would lose though other businesses would gain.

I think that in general, schooling is not effective, and teachers are unable to do their job in this current, unprecedented situation. I think it would be a good idea if the long holiday was moved to now, with all schools (state I guess, as private are self managing) off for the next 4-5 weeks, with the term dates shifted accordingly

DD's teachers are going above and beyond to do their job. She has had an absolutely normal timetable, new topics introduced etc. Why would they want the school holiday moved to now when life is as normal just the venue changed?!

Yes, teachers might have to cancel their summer holiday plans, but a) they are quite likely to have to do that anyway, and b) surely that's a very small price to pay for job security, full pay throughout and being able to stay safe and help save lives

A) I would absolutely not be happy to cancel my plans. If my plans get cancelled I get my money back. If I cancel them, I don’t. My holiday is costing over £12,000. That is a lot to cancel.

B) Assuming it’s safe enough to gather together in school and go to work, what lives will I be saving at this point? As for job security, I’m working now and have that anyway.

@Stress12345
If you would like some resources and websites suggested, start a new thread with the ages of your children and teachers on here would be happy to help.

It would cost far too much for schools to open during the summer holidays as the staff would all have to be paid extra. Schools are NOT on holiday now, despite what some of you in here think. Many have already been open throughout the easter holidays for key worker children, including Good Friday and Easter Monday. They've not been paid anything extra for that.
If schools are ready to open again by July, then I'm pretty sure holidays in this country will also be available, so what about teachers who've booked? Families who've booked?
Many private school staff have been furloughed, which the schools are not paying for, so it would be false economy for those schools to then open over summer as they'd have to pay the teacher's additional salary for working their holidays.

Another thing to consider would be that teachers are not paid for the 6 weeks off.
So, making us take that break now, would mean that we were off work without pay for the next 6 weeks.

Imagine if I suggested that everyone furloughed should not receive pay for the next six weeks and should take it as extended holidays. They are not able to do their jobs and are getting 80% of their pay to do nothing. That’s not good for the economy, so they should all ‘play their part’.

I think it could possibly work, moving the summer holidays, as a teacher. But if we did, children would have to be in school as well and not go on their holidays in that new term-time. Fines for families going on term-time holidays would have to stand.

That's the only way teachers could effectively use the time to help their class all come back to some kind of equilibrium.

However, logistically, I'm not sure it could be done. Would children go to their old or new class? When would they switch? Teachers would need time in their classroom without the kids to move belongings to their new room, take down displays, back boards etc. Not to mention planning for the new school year, organise groupings, intervention timetables etc.

Plus, if they were in their current year group until the end of August, when would they receive their end-of-year report? Teachers often use the May half-term holiday to write the first drafts.

And who would look after key workers children for the next weeks?

Where is the money going to come from to pay teachers if they have to work over the summer holidays ?

The Education Minister has already announced there are no plans for schools to be open during the summer holidays.

Teacher here. If state schools were to do this then would they get private school holidays for the 20-21 school year? Because all I see here is private schools adding weeks to equal the usual state school term weeks.

It would cost far too much for schools to open during the summer holidays as the staff would all have to be paid extra.

I guess it's a sacrifice that (some) private schools will be willing to make. This may force others to follow suit.

DD's teachers are going above and beyond to do their job. She has had an absolutely normal timetable, new topics introduced etc. Why would they want the school holiday moved to now when life is as normal just the venue changed?!

Well then you are very lucky, as am I as my school (albeit private) is providing a full timetable.

However, it is very clear that a good quality education is not being consistently provided to all pupils across the board, and even when it is provided, not all pupils are able to access it. Pupils without access to technology are suffering, children without supportive parents are suffering, children of key workers are suffering etc etc.

It's not just about YOU, it's about being able to provide the best education for the majority of children, and that will be in a school setting rather than at home. So moving the holidays will benefit the children who are not fortunate enough to have the funds, equipment and support that your child is lucky enough to have.