Longer summer term

[HamCob]

Apparently some private schools are planning to extend their summer term by two weeks. According to the Mail (so could be rubbish), the gov are floating the idea for state schools too, with the two weeks summer holiday lost tacked on to Autumn half term & Xmas holidays.
I've booked to go on holiday the first week of the summer hols. Hoping it doesn't happen!

Nope. Its already a 7 or 8 week term. Will be pointless from a learning perspective.

Are the private schools not doing enough to ‘catch up’? I thought their live lesson provision was why the rest of us are being forced into live provision even when there’s no evidence it is better.

No no no no no.

How would it work for, say, someone who was leaving teaching at the end of this summer term? They would work for two extra weeks in July/August, but not benefit from the "pay-back" in October/whenever.

Please tell me this isn't going to happen? We crawl towards the summer holidays on our hands and knees as it is. So do the kids. I've read that they want schools to be able to reduce infections by keeping the windows open? How about they reduce infection by finishing the term when it's meant to, and keeping the schools empty altogether?

Cobblers to that.

I know, the whole thing sounds bonkers and as though it's been scribbled on the back of a fag packet.
We've had windows open since September 2020, so what difference will it even make?!

It better bloody not happen! This year has been madness as it is and by summer 2, everyone - teachers and kids will be bloody exhausted!

As an aside, I really hope we can return normally in September! I'm a science teacher and I am missing practicals so much

Plus just doing normal things like sitting and working with a small group during a lesson and live marking.

I've been able to airily dismiss all the other batshit suggestions about summer school and lengthening the day, because they involve extra funding so... won't happen.

But.... are they able to arbitrarily alter our contracts in this way, on the promise of payback next academic year? What about those who are retiring/buggering off out of teaching in July? When would they get their payback?

@CallmeAngelina

I've been able to airily dismiss all the other batshit suggestions about summer school and lengthening the day, because they involve extra funding so... won't happen.

But.... are they able to arbitrarily alter our contracts in this way, on the promise of payback next academic year? What about those who are retiring/buggering off out of teaching in July? When would they get their payback?

This is what I'm not sure about. I'm on a temporary contract which ends in July so I wouldn't get the payback. There will be lots of others in the same situation or retiring etc. Plus what about teachers (& parents) who have booked holidays in good faith?

I was reading that they want it to be a permanent change to school year if they do it. But those six weeks in summer are the pay off for the fact we work bloody hard all term and generally a good half of the half terms.

Week 1 of holidays = decompress a bit and generally become human again
Week 2 and 3 = actual guilt free holidays
Week 4 = beginning to think about new year and dip toes into water of work again
Week 5 and 6 = right, best get going again.

So if it's shortened to 4, there go the guilt free relaxation and spending time with the children weeks.

Weeks one and two - mark exams
Weeks 3-5 - holiday
Week 6 - visit family

I’m one of those weird teachers who would quite like a shorter summer with and extra week at June and October.

Even I think this is a bad idea.

I was just reading this article and feeling very concerned. We have tentatively booked an English summer self catering break in the first week of the summer holidays- can they really turn around now and take our holidays away from us like this? Where would we stand in this situation?

We're contracted to work 195 days which are calendared in advance. Don't worry about it. It won't happen.

Thank you. I feel like we are working so hard already, this feels so unfair to both teachers and students.

Well. In Scotland some regions went back earlier than we were meant to, by a week. We have had that week added on this year somewhere - in my case, at the start of the summer but other areas had it in October. Anyone who had already booked a holiday for the last week of the holidays, and could prove this, was entitled to go on it.
Staff who left/retired would have to receive pay instead.
So not impossible but has caused a lot of inconvenience and that's just for one week. I don't think it will happen to you. There was a particular reason here to do with blended learning (which they changed their minds on anyway!)

I think No10 is feeding stories to keep the export red tape disaster/ Brexit complications off the front page.
The NHS reform story made the headline of today’s Sunday Times and the Dailymail have the schools story.

I have holiday booked.

And TOIL owing from extra days I've worked that I've not taken due to Covid.

If this happens I think I've probably decided to leave teaching or at very least, reduce my hours.

Nope - will not happen. They cannot just change contracts like that.