Gove says lengthen school days and shorten long summer holiday

[juneau]

Here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22202694

I think it's a great idea and I'm sure working parents will welcome it. I also think it's bollocks that teachers need the six week summer break to recharge their batteries. Do they work harder or longer hours than other workers who only get four or five weeks a year then?

Having just endured a bored DS1 over the Easter holidays I think any break of more than two weeks is actually pretty dull for kids and I'm sure poorer kids really suffer from lack of stimulation and/or money to do stuff.

Holidays should be cut, but the school day is certainly long enough for my two.

It's a shit idea.

Both school day and holidays are absolutely fine.

Where are they going to find the money for that then? Because I can't imagine teachers are going to want to work more for the same money. I work in the NHS and IME teachers work way harder than I do.

Holidays and school days are fine as they are. TerrIble idea

when will children have the time to just be children and play? and actually become bored?

i've heard some stories about gove's own schooldays so i am not surprised he wants everyone else's kids to suffer as he did

Do you really think children need to be in school longer?

Only boring people are bored.

I think it's a shit idea too. By the end of each term mine are exhausted. They don't get bored in the holiday either only boring people get bored as they say

Ooh cross post with soup dragon!

:)

Let's leave the teacher bashing to. Unless you've done you have no idea how hard they do or do not work.

Yes I agree. Holidays are far too long. Should be 3 or 4 weeks max in the summer. Kids definitely get bored after about 2 weeks and activities cost a fortune. Not sure about longer school day, think its fine at the moment for primary age anyway.

shockingly bad idea. Mine love 'being bored' in the holidays

but can they afford to pay for all the extra time teacher will be working for? Surely not? It would massively increase the wage bill?

Can you imagine how much money it would cost schools to fund the extra teaching hours? Where would that money come from?

What about schools where a large percentage of the parents don't work? Would they need extra hours/ days? Although schools are actually providing an education and NOT childcare, which lots of people seem to forget.

If my child was at school from 7.30am-5.30pm and had shorter holidays when would I actually get to see him?

Kids definitely get bored after about 2 weeks

No they don't. There is no "definitely" about it. your children may get bored after 2 weeks, mine don't. If they complain about being bored I suggest they find something to do. Activities don't need to cost a fortune.

Cross posted with everyone!!!!

if he does this, what will happen to university/college holidays? how will kids earn the money to pay for their own education if they can't work the holidays!

another idea to keep the proles in their place

I would expect teachers salaries to rise if they're working longer hours - but I don't think they work harder than many other people who get considerably less holiday.

Shorter terms and more holidays of two/three weeks IYSWIM. Here in Scotland we now have no more holidays until summer which is 11 weeks, I think. That is too long without a decent break IMO.

The summer holidays could be a month long and I'm sure the rest of the time could be redistributed a bit more evenly.

Days are long enough as it is, especially for the wee ones.

It is funny, Michael Gove usually looks to the private sector to see good practice. The private schools I know about have much longer holidays than state schools.

All the time it's all about working parents! What about the children? Formal schooling is PART of childhood, it's not the only thing that should define it. Leave the holidays alone. I'm sure most of us oldies have lovely memories of the long summer holidays, why don't our children deserve the same? Amazingly, not all children LIKE being in school and prefer being in their own environment with family and friends. And the fact that your child was bored was down to you. You don't need money to have good time, just an imagination.

Teachers might not need 6 weeks to recharge but the kids do. I bet everyone arguing for shorter holidays loved them as a kid.

And imagine what it will do to the travel industry? A 3 or 4 week window when everyone tries to go on holiday? How will that effect industry? Everyone wanting to take the same time off?

I hate the idea.