Why do kids get so much time off from school?!

[LadyCafe]

Hello,
We send our children to an independent school in London. The children have a 2 week half term in October! They are off for 3 weeks during Christmas. There is February half term for one week. Then Spring term ends on March 24 and Summer term begins April 16th! Half term at the end of May for 1 week. Summer term ends on July 5th.

What is astonishing, there are a few mums complaining that the Christmas break is too short!.. and that the children should have 4 full weeks off!!

We're paying for our children's education and they get so much time off. And now a few mums want to go to the head teacher to ask for more time off so they can travel to their home country! Well, poor you! Some of us have to work and can't take 3-4 weeks off at a time!

What do you think? Is this the norm?

[LuchiMangsho]

Because kids need a break. They have the rest of their life to be institutionalised. (I say this as a FT working mum with two kids in private school). They go to school to learn. And learning happens best when they get adequate breaks to consolidate and rest. And plenty of countries have long breaks. In my non Christian country I got a 3 week Christmas/winter break, a 6 week summer break, had a 2-3 week break in October/November and again in March/April. And had shorter school days. And my parents worked. Everyone coped.

[LadyCafe]

Kids don't need those many breaks. Sorry. Three weeks off for Christmas is way more than fine. 2 weeks for Easter, more than fine. 8 weeks off during the summer? Not necessary.

[LadyCafe]

What are adequate breaks?

[Witchend]

I don't think the dc get enough break, especially at Christmas (10 days last year) at state schools. I'd go for 3-4 weeks at Christmas/Easter and 9 in the summer. I think the children need it. (no I'm not a teacher before you ask)

[Sirzy]

I think adequate breaks are what they get now!

I find it quite sad you want to keep your children in school for as long as possible.

I appreciate it’s a pain for working parents, however that’s no excuse to not allow children to have breaks and explore life away from School be that with family or taking part in holiday clubs.

[megletthesecond]

Surely you knew this and factored it in when you signed up to a fee paying school? I knew they had longer holidays and I've never set foot in one.

[LadyCafe]

Of course they need breaks. But they don't need anymore than what they have now! 4 weeks is absurd over Christmas. They already have 8 weeks over the summer. And they don't need 2 weeks off in October when they literally just went back to school a month before!

[LadyCafe]

Why do public schools have less breaks?!

[Fluffysparks]

I always felt I had the perfect amount of time off at a state school, but my sister at private got massively bored over the holidays and had to sit around all day while DF worked from home

[Evelynismyspyname]

Send your kids to state and use the school fees to employ a nanny to look after your children while you WORK - problem solved.

[Evelynismyspyname]

Are you British? Public schools are private schools which are members of a special club...

State schools are free at the point of use and usually have slightly shorter holidays due to (normally) not being at school for as many hours per day, private often doing Saturday morning school, private schools often catering for boarders and overseas parents.

[SerfTerf]

Why do public schools have less breaks?!

It's not about why state schools have fewer/shorter breaks, but rather why independents have longer holidays, which was answered at the start of the thread.

Were you not educated in the U.K.?

[elQuintoConyo]

Fewer breaks, surely?

"Europe" isn't one place, different countries have different holidays. My son's Spanish school has just gone back after their 11 week summer holiday. They have 16 days off for Chrismas, 10 for Easter. They don't do half terms here, so Jan-Easter term is 11 weeks straight through. There are 4 public holidays between now and Christmas and one on 1st May. Schools can choose any 4 days a year to close, they'll differ between schools. DS was off today, for example. 6-7-8 December all schools are closed, we are going on a 5-day break. School is 9-1 then 3-4.30. Lunch is school meal or they go home to eat.

We knew the lay of the land before he started school and budget/organise ourselves accordingly. Like adults.

[PatriciaHolm]

State schools have a mandated number of education sessions they must provide in a year; private schools don't. Historically, I think the longer Holidays relate to boarding, but many private school parents like being able to go on holiday outside of peak times!

I'm assuming you aren't British given your surprise at this and your use of the word "public" for state schools.

[watfordmummy]

[Leeds2]

I would make it known to the Head that you don't agree with the proposal for extra holidays. Just so that she knows.

[everythingsucks]

So take your kid out of private and put them back into state.

What is your issue? Surely you were aware of the holidays? Are you kids progressing well? Happy and have friends? Challenged and engaged?

If they are, and the problem is you can’t take the time off work, then you have had plenty of notice to sort that out. Either with reciprocal friend agreements, family help or paid childcare. I really don’t see what your problem is? You pay therefore you should be able to dictate hours? They are standard private holidays.

[Hoppinggreen]

My DD's Private school has longer holidays than the local Comp but they finish an hour later each day.
Means we can get cheaper holidays as we miss the usual times - I suppose it might be difficult for parents who work full time but we were aware of the holidays when we chose the school

[BizzyFizzy]

I have the same holidays, OP. Love it.

We have a longer day and work-hard play-hard.

[everythingsucks]

I wonder if boarding school may suit you more. Not your children, you. They have the same holidays but you wouldn’t have to look after those pesky kids during term time so maybe would be happier to see them during the holidays?

I take it your child is primary age. KS1 perhaps. I had a little look at your other post. Yes I know it is poor form but you felt a little goady. From the way you were posting I thought you had teenagers!

I think my young primary children would have benefited hugely from longer holidays. Especially if they were being pushed hard academically from a young age. They get tired. Two week half term would be much better at that age.

[everythingsucks]

Oh. Sorry. I didn’t realise. It is the lazy, stay at home, feckless workshy, freeloading mums you are pissed at.

I take it back. You are definitely a GF.

[elQuintoConyo]

everythingsucks did you just call the OP a Goat Felcher?

[ILoveDolly]

I'm excited because it means I get a whole week in October with only my eldest while the others at State Primary have already gone back. I've a whole load of fun things planned just for us two. I haven't had the luxury of her undivided company for so long.

[ProfessorCat]

Why are you moaning about it when you choose to send your children there?

It's standard for public schools.

[CruCru]

I must admit, I love the long holidays. I think the reason for the two week half term in the Autumn term is the children get exhausted after a six week stretch of school. The Autumn term is the longest one.