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Changes to School Holiday Duration in the UK

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  • The Red Robin
    The Red Robin Posts: 26,127
    valleynick66 said:
    Athletico Charlton said:
    My kids schools went to a 2 week half term in October a few years back and took the week of the summer holidays.  To start I found it a pain but as the world is either too hot (Europe) or full of dreadful weather and hurricanes etc (US/Asia) during the summer then it now makes a lot of sense. Not bothering with a summer holiday this year and going away for 2 weeks October instead.  Better time of Ur to travel and cheaper.
    What destinations do you  recommend for that time of year?
    Preston. 
  • Athletico Charlton
    Athletico Charlton Posts: 14,279
    iainment said:
    It seems that having a holiday is more important than a child’s education to some. 
    Funny old world.

    Who's said that though?  The kids are not getting more time off school, the schools are just splitting up the holiday time a little differently.
  • NornIrishAddick
    NornIrishAddick Posts: 9,623
    Just going to point out that the school summer holidays in Northern Ireland are from the end of June until the last week in August (but not full days or a full week), while in Ireland most schools finish for their summer holidays earlier in June (I'm uncertain about the exact dates, and they may be back for the second last week in August).

    Whenever the school holidays are, the travel industry will always raise the costs because of supply and demand.  Also, while it is possible that for many locations where the weather for holidaying in October would be fine (it's my favourite time to go to Greece or anywhere in the Eastern Mediterranean), with pleasant temperatures and a still warm sea, the season may well be over for many of the tourist businesses, which could also raise costs (either because of lack of capacity or the additional costs of staffing, etc.).  Just my opinion, of course.
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,040
    Athletico Charlton said:
    iainment said:
    It seems that having a holiday is more important than a child’s education to some. 
    Funny old world.

    Who's said that though?  The kids are not getting more time off school, the schools are just splitting up the holiday time a little differently.
    To me it seems implied.

    I don’t disagree that school timetables need revision. The long holidays in summer were set in Victorian times to ensure Labour for harvesting. Not needed any more.
    Why not 4 terms a year of equal length with holidays of equal length?
  • blackpool72
    blackpool72 Posts: 23,681
    iainment said:
    Athletico Charlton said:
    iainment said:
    It seems that having a holiday is more important than a child’s education to some. 
    Funny old world.

    Who's said that though?  The kids are not getting more time off school, the schools are just splitting up the holiday time a little differently.
    To me it seems implied.

    I don’t disagree that school timetables need revision. The long holidays in summer were set in Victorian times to ensure Labour for harvesting. Not needed any more.
    Why not 4 terms a year of equal length with holidays of equal length?
    That's a good idea imo.
    It would also spread the cost of holidays which must be a good thing.
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 22,955
    gmantaxi said:
    The wife’s a teacher, has the 2 weeks in October, so we always go away for a week in the sun and don’t have to pay silly money like in official term time although guessing only a matter of time till holiday company’s latch on to this .
    They already have in most cases, sadly.
  • robroy
    robroy Posts: 4,428
    My kids still have six weeks up in Yorkshire
  • AllHailTheHen
    AllHailTheHen Posts: 3,063
    North Lower Neil said:
    gmantaxi said:
    The wife’s a teacher, has the 2 weeks in October, so we always go away for a week in the sun and don’t have to pay silly money like in official term time although guessing only a matter of time till holiday company’s latch on to this .
    They already have in most cases, sadly.
    Definitely the case. A hotel we looked at staying at during the 2 week October half term this year was double the cost of the preceding week.
  • jimmymelrose
    jimmymelrose Posts: 9,753
    msomerton said:
    Kap10 said:
    jimmymelrose said:
    I just looked out of curiosity to find that the UK summer school holidays are only 5.5 weeks this year. I then found articles such as that below arguing for as little as a four week holiday, with 2 weeks off, instead of one, to compensate in October and February. 

    My children have always been to school in France where the summer holidays are 8-10 weeks which I think are too long, but any less than 6 weeks seems stingy to me.  

    I was wondering how parents in the UK feel about this.

     https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/26/school-summer-holidays-half-term-england-calendar-nuffield-foundation-report?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
    Are they keeping to 12 weeks a year?

    Shortening the 6 weeks will put pressure on the costs of holidays for those parents pushing prices up even higher and more conflict about parents taking kids out of school during termtime.
    Why. They will have two weeks in October/November and two weeks in February to have holidays over seas. 
    Most families want warm weather and the only option in Europe is The Canaries. Won’t this limit holidays to long haul travel meaning that many can’t afford to go at all?

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