Does anyone know why private schools have such long holidays?

[penguinsforever]

It seems excessive and is a major factor in my decision to send dc there. I work, so state schools would mean much less holiday childcare needed. I just wondered if there's any reason private schools have so much holiday time?

The best private schools tend to have longer days. But not all. It's certainly not the case in my county. It's more common to have the longer days/Saturday school in boarding school. As a teacher involved with productions longer days would be great - they often incorporate enrichment activities. The local private schools with their shorter days and shorter terms do not reflect value for money IMO. However, if the only place I could get for my child was in the worst local state secondary, I would probably change my mind. Interestingly, the local prep school is very good and does have longer days.
Anyway, all schools differ. I am continually surprised at how short some state school days are compared to ours. I don't know how they do it. We have 5 hours teaching a day. I'd prefer a longer lunch time than we have - a full hour is good for enabling activities. Some schools barely have 20 minutes!

So that the staff & private school parents can take advantage of cheaper holidays?
I wonder what kind of fines this kid's parents will face when he gets back (he has mock GCSEs in February).

Ljikk - the parents can take advantage of cheaper holidays, but that isn't the reason that they choose a private education (it would be silly if they did given that the school fees are more than any holiday savings).
If people really want to go away at cheap times of the year then they have options such as home education, which enables them to go away when they like and for how long they like. People don't have to sign their children up for an education that they feel is too controlling of their lives. They can avoid the 'nanny state' by choosing to educate their children themselves.

I could avoid the nanny state by immigrating too. I have seriously considered it!

I'm fed up with people saying - if you don't like how state schools are run, home educate. Believe it or not, many of us HAVE to work, to pay the bills!
Even if we didn't, we shouldn't feel that we have to change our lives and those of our children dramatically due to one stupid policy.

HE is not a good option in the long run employability of most of the children subjected to it

We had longer days at ours, and also had school on Saturday. We still had half terms...I loved the long holidays...

At my DDs boarding school, they had Chapel at 8.30 am then registration and lessons until 4.00pm. There were numerous after school activities and prep. There were day girls too and their day ended at about 6.30-7.00 pm if they stayed for prep. The day fees are now about £7000+ a term so why pay that if you don't get value for money? Much cheaper is available with shorter days. Longer holidays were needed as my girls were so busy!

''People don't have to sign their children up for an education that they feel is too controlling of their lives.''

Noshit: thanks, but some of us will just keep lobbying to change a policy we don't support.

''People don't have to sign their children up for an education that they feel is too controlling of their lives.''
Another mum said this to me recently re a different policy (I was complaining about a specific policy in the school, and she said that I shold just leave if I didn't like it - seemingly oblivious to the fact, that in our area there is no where else to go).

I find it really odd that people think you just have to accept what you're given, even if what you're given is cr*p, or wrong headed, or just wrong.

The last private school I worked in had longer days than the current state school I am in. Over a week in the private school we did the equivalent of an extra day of state school. So over 5 weeks we had done an extra week. Over a ten week term we had done the equivalent teaching time of 12 weeks in a state school.