Summer holidays: is six weeks too long or not long enough?

[JustAnInnocentQuestion]

If they got rid of half-terms and added them to the summer holidays, they could start at the beginning of July. Would that be too long, or do you think half-terms are necessary?

Half terms are necessary

Half terms definitely necessary for everybody to relax and chill out a bit. I find the summer holidays too long, just the month of August would be perfect for us.

Half terms are necessary. My kids are still in primary school and 100% need those breaks.

I've heard there's been talk of making the summer hols 4 weeks and adding an extra weeks hols to Feb and Oct half terms respectively. I don't want that. At least you've got half a chance of the weather being decent during July and Aug to get the kids outside. Theres very little chance of that in Feb and Oct. Plus, a lot of our local "attractions" are closed in February and don't open until Easter.

I'd happily sacrifice most of the February half term. It's usually the shortest term so least need of a break. Also, if you don't go skiing (we don't) who really wants a week cramming into a crowded soft play in the rain in Feb?

I know I'm going against what most people feel but I want to keep half terms and have a longer summer. We live in leicester so our summer starts before everyone else in England/wales and go back last week of august and the weather always seems to be lovely then and we miss out on it

I'd go the other way, trim a week off the summer holiday and give kids a two week half term in October. That winter term is soooo long.

We have 5 weeks in summer and two in october. Personally I think 4 weeks in summer max is plenty. Would like to have two weeks in may instead.

My dc are older now (aged 10-18) and apart from this week when I have the cold from hell, the summer holidays have flown by and I would be happy to have 8 weeks instead of 6. October and February half terms are always rubbish because of the weather but the dc do need the break.

We get 8 weeks and I think this is a good amount. It flies in.

It's nine weeks in Northern Ireland. Six would be great. Mine are older now but it was really expensive and stressful getting clubs / time off to cover them.

We get eight weeks in summer, a week end of October, two weeks at Christmas, a week in February, two weeks at Easter.

4 weeks would be enough in the summer. I'd like 2 weeks in October and 2 weeks in may. DS gets bored. It's also a headache covering 6 weeks off. Me and dh both work so we would have 2 weeks with ds and then only have only 2 weeks left ro cover then.

Gees no thanks!

Private school, so we get 8 weeks for summer and I wouldn’t want it any shorter. I’m American, though, where summer break is 10-12 weeks and I probably romanticise the long summer breaks I had in childhood.

we have 2 weeks in october and Easter, which I think is necessary, and 3 weeks at Christmas, which is too much.

I'd like the summer holidays to shift up the calendar a bit and have them in June. Typically the weather is nicer then where either live (north west) so the time off is more enjoyable! The weather is always rubbish in August and it seems so unfair for the children to be off when it's just rainy and unpredictable!

I'd have the summer hols at 4 weeks and keep the rest as they are.

We break up at the end of June and go back early September (Canada). Two weeks over Christmas, a week in February and a week at Easter. Plus 15 or so “no school Fridays”.

It seems late to me

Almost end of July when they break up

Half terms are necessary, and so are longer summer holidays. I felt so sad for dd that her summer hols were so paltry in comparison to mine (nearly 8 weeks!).

I'd keep half terms and start the summer hols 2 weeks earlier. I think children need more time to just be children.

6 weeks is so short! We get 10 weeks in Finland and even that feels too short by the end.

I work in a school- and I think they are a bit to long and would be better spread out- especially on terms we have eight week slogs , phew , which is far to long for the kids and staff to go without a break.

you are never going to make everyone happy I suppose!

As a teacher and parent, I would be OK with 4 weeks for summer. Then the extra 2 weeks added to May and October half terms. I would like no half term in school to last longer than 6 weeks ideally.

Scotland here. We have either 6 or 7 in the summer, two in October, two at Christmas then 3 day in February and sometimes close to 3 weeks at Easter. There are also a couple of individual days in November and May.

Personally I think kids need a longer break in February so I’d prefer to see a full wee. It’s all ways a long slog between Christmas and Easter.

When it's a longer half term, my kids (especially my youngest) are really tired and 'hanging on' for the holidays. I wouldn't want to cut the half terms. My kids would probably benefit from a shorter summer and more frequent breaks than we have but I would be less keen to lose the summer holidays as it's easier to entertain when the weather is generally better.

I think half terms are great.
I went to school in the US and we got an extra four weeks in summer - we got out about third week in June, but no October half term, and only a week at Christmas, or slightly more depending on when the day fell, no Easter break but a week off in Feb and another in April. I'm used to the UK calendar now and prefer it.