Primary closures: Is your independent school changing holidays?

[CaledonianSleeper]

I’d be really grateful to know if any independent primary/prep schools will be changing their Easter or Summer holidays this year to make up for time lost in lockdowns? We are supposed to have 3.5 weeks holiday at Easter then another 8.5 weeks in summer. I feel they should shorten these holidays to make up for the time we’ll lose in January (we’re Tier 4).

Not as far as I know but we’re in tier 3 and primary so still due to open as normal so far.
I can’t see it though, they still broke up early July in summer, despite having been back at school only 3 weeks.

No mention so far and I doubt they will as there will be online teaching each day of the closure.

I doubt it because the school staff are working on days schools are closed for face to face teaching.

You don’t want teachers to get a holiday?

You don’t want teachers to get a holiday?
On the off-chance this is a serious question: as I said in my post there are more than 11 weeks’ holiday scheduled at our school over Easter and Summer; I’m suggesting this be reduced by a few weeks so teachers would still get eg 9 weeks holiday. I’m well aware teachers will be working as usual while school is partly closed, but private schools refunded significant amounts of fees during the last lockdown, and I’m suggesting that this time they keep the money and use it to pay teachers who want to to work a few extra weeks so the kids can catch up. And I’m interested if there are any precedents for schools having done this.

I’m suggesting that this time they keep the money and use it to pay teachers who want to to work a few extra weeks so the kids can catch up.

And if they don't want to work extra weeks? I can't see parents being thrilled if large classes of differing year groups have to be created.

No. Firstly because we're tier 3 so going back to school next week anyway. Secondly, they taught using Teams during the full lockdown and are ready to go in the event of that happening again. The children won't be missing any school as such.

And if they don't want to work extra weeks?
Exactly why I’m interested to find if there are
any precedents, how did other schools manage it?
I saw someone on another thread saying their school had changed holidays for later in the year but now I can’t find the post anywhere. I feel like surely some schools must be doing it? But maybe that’s more hope than expectation!

@CaledonianSleeper

And if they don't want to work extra weeks? Exactly why I’m interested to find if there are any precedents, how did other schools manage it? I saw someone on another thread saying their school had changed holidays for later in the year but now I can’t find the post anywhere. I feel like surely some schools must be doing it? But maybe that’s more hope than expectation!

Is your school not providing good online learning? I'd make more fuss about that first if so. Done well, a combination of live lessons and set tasks (along with a fee reduction if it's prolonged) can work well. My children didn't fall behind. Obviously not as good as real, live school but they made the best of it. Not all independent schools were able to do this though, ours is part of a larger group so had the IT infrastructure and didn't have to furlough staff.

Yes that’s a really good point. I don’t think they did enough last time, definitely room for improvement. But then for kids of year 2 age I’m not sure that they can provide something that’s anywhere near to the real thing? And all depends on us being able to supervise which is difficult as we’re working.

Ah ok. Year 2 changes things slightly as it's much harder to teach KS1 over the internet. They need parental help for things that older children don't. Mine are older primary so it was much easier. Hope things are better this time for you and it doesn't last long.

Hopefully ours won't.
We have all our holidays moved from last year to this year and will hopefully be away.
Both our indies had great online provision last time.

You suggest they 'keep the money' this time - perhaps you don't realise that most schools will have spent far more money so far during the pandemic than they 'saved' from not teaching in person and furloughing some staff? Giving even minor fee discounts cost schools a small fortune last lockdown, plus they will have had to spend huge amounts on various costs associated with Covid, plus they'll have lost out on things like rental income. Some may also have falling rolls and/or might have temporarily reduced fees for struggling families. Even if they charge full fees for this year, that doesn't mean they will be 'saving' money that they can then use to fund extra weeks of teaching. I imagine they'll be desperately trying to claw back some of the losses they've made so far.

No, ours won't nor would I expect them to. The teachers will be working providing online, remote learning. Obviously the quality of the online provision depends on the teacher but I wouldn't expect the school to not offer online work & take time off the holidays later on. The kids need the break at Easter & Summer as do the teachers. I wouldn't be worrying about Y2.

We don’t have any lost time. Sure, it’s not face to face learning if government advice changes, but we have a comprehensive and effective full time online teaching programme if it’s needed. Really well balanced between screen time, Zoom time and time away from the computer. The teachers work even harder pulling all that together than in a regular classroom. I am extremely happy with what we get and feel there’s no need to catch up on anything.

I agree with a previous poster that it sounds like you have issues with the remote learning your school is offering.

I know Hanford in Dorset extended the summer term by 2 weeks to make up for lost time. No idea if they paid staff extra, or whether fees were or weren't reduced but there's a precedent for you.

they had the whole school back by then but were exclusively full boarding or very nearly so, to mitigate any risks.