Extending school term at end of July

[NeverForgetYourDreams]

That's not going to work. Another ridiculous idea. What about all those people that moved their cancelled holidays for 2020 by a year. Summer holidays may go ahead if vaccine roll out happens and who is going to cancel and lose their money - I'm not. Will be lots of absent children.

We are booked to go away at the very start of the holidays and will be along as it’s ok to travel within the uk. Children need to be able to be children as well as getting an education.

Private schools will most likely extend their terms (they tend to break up end of June anyway). I can't see this happening in State Schools.

Who has suggested this?

Exactly. We've moved ours from 2020 start of holidays to this year. Already had Easter 2020 cancelled and now looks like our moved to Easter 2021 will be cancelled (waiting on the government update I expect before TUI decides).

I will be so cross if the government do this, punishing my children even more! We all need a break.

Honestly am sick of emotionally damaged government ministers suggesting shit like this.

@Watsername

Who has suggested this?

It's all over the media this afternoon. I'm hoping it's another leaked idea to garner public support just like the vaccine passports and extending the school day, neither of which will happen. They seem to leak ideas to find out what the public think are then either go ahead or change their minds

Longer days can fuck off too. My kids are not behind on work - but desperately low on fun.

That's fine. We haven't booked anything yet.

I actually think this is a good idea. Longer holidays when illnesses are rife in schools. Winter terms are long. However they have an issue, if they did it this academic year they’d owe staff two weeks wages but most importantly, the children need this summer to visit family, see friends, etc, etc. They’ve given up enough. People have booked holidays, etc, etc.

For academic years going forward? I don’t see why not.

Summer holidays may go ahead if vaccine roll out happens
And the country that you are visiting allows you to enter as a tourist which at present many countries don't.

Can’t imagine teachers agreeing to this major change in their contracts.

No thanks.

An alternative is to extend the current school year by a term and start all subsequent school years in January in line with the regular calendar. Gives kids a chance to catch up without altering the length of term of longer days etc.. and we'd finally have a school year and calendar year that tally up! :)

Won’t happen as would cost government money, they won’t spend it but by leaking they will spin it and blame the unions for being difficult and everyone will believe it . Seen it all before.

It won’t happen because the economy cannot sustain it.
They cannot afford to pay teachers to do it.
They don’t want people in school, they want people out spending at places like Alton towers and, in fact, anywhere, to try and bolster the economy.

Eg. So if you are now in year4, you stay in year4 til January and start January in year 5.

Schools have moved all learning online so education is still happening.
Teaching contracts do not cover holidays so it would have to be staffed by teachers agreeing to additional hours, which many would not do. Ditto school support staff (TAs etc), caretakers etc.
I work in a school and will not be working additional weeks unless I am forced to, at which point I would consider resigning. My children will not be attending for additional days or weeks.

Yep, just a trick to make teachers look bad, because the unreasonable fuckers don't want to work for free.

@CureCovid

Eg. So if you are now in year4, you stay in year4 til January and start January in year 5.

This would however impact on University start dates. So would mean a complete overhaul of education from early years to 21

I work in a private school and we will not be extending our July finish
We've all been working full time remotely or in school with KW children

@CureCovid so you want current year 10 to sit their exams in December 2021 then? Will we have the long break in December to tally up with having to get them marked and sent back? Do you really think people would rather have the long break in December not august?

@Nellodee

Yep, just a trick to make teachers look bad, because the unreasonable fuckers don't want to work for free.

I wouldn't think badly of a teacher for vetoing this.

If you moved term dates you would also need extra places and staffing in early years.

The media will spin it though as they have with so many things, the government will say we tried but they won’t look like the bad guys. So many people believe the unions wanted schools shut but if you actually read what they said they wanted them safe and to minimise disruption through constant closing of bubbles etc They will say unions opposed it ( as of course they would rightly query their members working for free)

An alternative is to extend the current school year by a term and start all subsequent school years in January in line with the regular calendar
Actually this is a good idea but how would it work having a long holiday in the summer?

If the current holidays stayed the same no school staff would be working "extra weeks".

Ye gods, teachers are hanging on by their fingernails for Feb half term. The end of summer term is the most long awaited - and much needed part of the teaching year, no way will teachers agree to this