Long private school holidays

[lemondaisies]

Considering school options, but wondered why private schools have much longer holidays - does anyone know?

Private school days are longer, for example at KS2 they do 8:40-4:05 rather than 9:00-3:30. So even though they do less days at school they do more time in the classroom.

So that you can go on holiday outside of the peak weeks?

Seriously though, this is one thing that put us off private school. Our friends' DC at the private school we would have sent our DC to have 4 weeks off at Easter. 4 weeks!! It's basically assuming that one parent doesn't work, as the amount of holiday over the year adds up to far more than any working person's annual allowance, and that irks me.

I feel its vaguely to do with Parliament sittings.

Private school days are longer, for example at KS2 they do 8:40-4:05 rather than 9:00-3:30. So even though they do less days at school

That certainly is t true for the private schools around here. The girl next door goes to private school and does exactly the same hours as my DD as we leave and return at the same times each day. Just has much much longer holidays.

Don't know the general rule but dd has Saturday school as well.

She did go to a not great private school for a while with no sat school, finished the day at 4 and had an hour and a half for lunch. And had the ridiculous holidays.

...... because they don't have to comply with the government requirements of a certain number of teaching days each year and because that's what they're used to doing. I doubt it's much more scientific than that!

Yes, four weeks is far too long at Easter but any child at school has more holiday than two parents' combined holiday allowance (even assuming there are two parents involved) so it's "only" a case of being a bit worse not that one sector matches holiday allowances and one doesn't.

Partly its traditional. The days are longer at private schools and the families can afford holidays and like to go before it gets too crowded. It's also usually the case that kids in private schools will have opportunities during the holidays (Eg days out, workshops, museums) and will generally continue with things like reading so won't suffer from the 'summer slump'.

Longer school day 08:00 - 16:00

DC is Reception

If the school day is the same and the holidays are longer then it may be poor value for money. Mine had enrichment after school. Working parents had holiday help, grandparents and juggled! It’s obviously easier if you are at home.

Echoing pps on the longer school days. We are 8.30-4
4 weeks Easter holiday
8 weeks summer
4 weeks Xmas
2 weeks October half term.

I personally love those extra weeks as we can go on holiday whilst it's still relatively quiet and can also do great days out especially at theme parks without all the queues.

The school day seems the same as state where I'm looking. I'm just trying to see if the cost of additional childcare makes it a bit too expensive for us with more than one child.

I don't know any state schools locally who finish after 3.30

The school one of my dds is at is boarding (she is day) so she can stay as late as she likes which is handy if you aren't going to be back in time to collect. Secondary though.

My daughter is 15 and has been in private school since the age of 4. What others have said about the days being longer is true - she is in school 8.25 til 4. But she really only has extra hols in the summer (they finish 2 weeks earlier) which allows us to save a bit of money by getting away on holiday earlier. Other holidays can be extended by a day or two but it's only the summer holiday which is significantly longer.

Ds' prep school is 8.15-4. Frequently actually finish later due to music/ sports matches/trips/play rehearsals etc.From yr5 music rehearsals on sat AM. Boys are exhausted by end of each term. No real idea how that compares to state as only experienced reception.
Hols
1 wk each half term
3wks + 1-2 inset days easter and xmas
8 wks + 2 inset days summer

All our local state primaries are 8.50-3 or few mins around that. A good friends dc attend another school in the city that finishes at 2.45.

I think long hols are a historical remnant of when most independent schools were boarding. It doesn't seem to negatively affect teaching as so many indep schools great great results, but is a logistical pain.

In my experience school day is longer (& gets longer the older they get) & holidays are longer, but not hugely so except Summer. Comparing Easter & Christmas to local state schools private schools are only longer by a couple of days. Summer & a two week October half term make a difference. But some state schools have moved to two week half term.

In my experience as both a pupil and a teacher at Independent Schools, the days are longer (up till 6pm and inclusive of Saturdays at one of the schools I worked at 😱) and the holidays are longer. 3 half terms per year, 3 weeks at Christmas, 1 month at Easter, 2 months in Summer. However, most of the schools I’ve worked at or attended have an option of 2 to 4 weeks of summer school over the long exeat and often have sports or activity camps or residential school trips during half term and Easter hols. Of course, all additional expense but perhaps worth it if it works out cheaper and less disruptive than organising child care?

My kids are always off.

The 8.30 start though is AMAZING if youre trying to fit in work as well. Obvousy thats offset by endless weeks off.

Private school days are longer, for example at KS2 they do 8:40-4:05 rather than 9:00-3:30. So even though they do less days at school

Not my experience at all. State was 8.30 -4. Private 8.30 - 3.40 in one school and 8.45 to 3.45 in the other. None of the schools have saturday school

I assume schools need to give a minimum number of teaching hours a week. We have 5.5 class days and long holidays.

You should also bare on mind that the normal holiday clubs (especially the cheaper ones) won't start until the state schools break up. So you'll need to use up leave or call in childcare favours.

it must depend on the area. Off the top of my head our two nearest state schools finish at 3.30 and 2.30!

independent schools none finish before 4.30

They also generally make money on the holiday clubs too...

My Ds's school starts at 8.30am and he finishes at 5.15pm. He starts the summer holiday on 29th June.
The summer is far too long!

Ours school days are 825 - 315 and after school clubs (optional) go until 430. I think it is a little shorter than our local state school as I see those kids go in later than us & leave earlier. We have a crazy amount of holidays. We are new to the UK and this is so different than back home. I find most of the school mums stay at home/have a nanny or au pair or work PT so the long breaks don't seem to be a problem. I love having the extra time off for the kids and don't think it has negatively impacted them academically, but they are still very young.

Thanks. Maybe they just set extra homework than state schools near me as day is same length.