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School holidays ?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Do you think that kids have too many school holidays ?
Six weeks in summer is an awfully long time and when they get back to school after six weeks do you think it takes them a lot more time to get back into the swing of things ? I know there was some talk of trying to cut the six week holiday as it is such a long holiday.
It feels as if they are off school every other month for a week/2 weeks.
If you currently are in full time education would you reduce the amount of holiday entitlement?
Another thing, why can't teachers do courses when the schools are off? I know of 3 occasions where my Daughter has been taught by a different teacher because her teacher is on some sort of course and they haven't been back 5 mins.
Six weeks in summer is an awfully long time and when they get back to school after six weeks do you think it takes them a lot more time to get back into the swing of things ? I know there was some talk of trying to cut the six week holiday as it is such a long holiday.
It feels as if they are off school every other month for a week/2 weeks.
If you currently are in full time education would you reduce the amount of holiday entitlement?
Another thing, why can't teachers do courses when the schools are off? I know of 3 occasions where my Daughter has been taught by a different teacher because her teacher is on some sort of course and they haven't been back 5 mins.
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Alright, you say that you want fewer school holidays. But have you actually considered what kinda effect that might have?
We in Iceland are "blessed" (sarcasm) with those 2-3 month long summer holidays. In turn, we rarely get to see the outside of our schools the other nine months of the school year. From experience I can tell you that it is terribly difficult to go five days a week to school for up to three months in a row without any holidays. You start losing enthusiasm, and long for something else. It has not been until recently that the authorities up here have tried sticking in a few days off every now and then, and I can tell you that only four or five days off after 6-8 weeks is extremely refreshing.
So I really cannot agree with reducing the amount of days off kids in school get.
LOL thats so true, I beleive ours went back on a Wednesday this year.
3 months off in Summer :eek2:
I just think their should be more things for kids to do, otherwise they just hang around and get up to no good.
I think Uni Students get too much time off, especially those doing mickey mouse courses as lot of people seem to be doing these days. Then again I'm just jealous because I stopped full time education at 16 & friends of mine that are off for 3 months in the summer make me want to puke!!!
Summer 2003-6 weeks 2 days
Autumn half term2003...1 week
Christmas 2003.....................2 weeks, 1 day
Spring Half Term 2004............1 week
Easter 2004..............2 weeks, 1 day
May Day 2004............1 Day
Summer Half Term 2004....1 week
Summer 2004......To be determined (normally 6 weeks)
five additional days for training etc to be added.
Now thats a lot of holidays, isnt it ?
Yeah I agree with that. In our area they do playschemes all through the summer but kids cant start till they are 8, something to do with insurance purposes, or thats what I was told during the summer holidays.
Btw, I really don't think it's the school's problem to figure out what the kids do during the holiday, and because of the parents' problem need to cut down.
Personally, I do not think this is a lot. You have to look at how it is spread over the school semester, not how many days each holiday lasts.
Like I said, I have tried both having a few days off, and having to be in school for about 3 months straight with nothing but the weekends. It is not nice, and I would not recommend it.
The kids need a few days off to break up the schoolyear, especially the younger ones. I cannot see why so many parents seem think that their children should spend their youth inside their schools. :rolleyes: (but that is the topic for another disussion
Mini-Ninja is like that. He's a very active child but also needs alot of mental stimulation. When he's off school he gets bored very easily as he's at the childminders most of the time which consists of watching TV/Vids and running about in the garden.
He gets to a point were he is almost uncontrollable as he is just so darn bored.
How old is he ?
Our area has tried to do a lot for kids recently in the way of play schemes, Summer Coaching in football, cricket etc. They had over the 6 weeks a fun in the park day once a week at different parks where everything was free, which included face painting, clowns, punch and Judy, a small funfair etc etc, so the kids looked forward to that. Next year our Becks will be happy because as i said she is old enough to go on the schemes.
She was a very demanding kid, still is to be honest. She could never sit just watching T.V all day we would always have to be doing something. Maybe its because she is an only child, I dont know to be honest.
He has just turned 6. We also had things for him to do during the summer (Football training, Swimming lessons, et...) but it's more cost ain't it? Not that I minded paying for them but must be harder for other families. I suspect it will be more difficult when Mini-Mini-Ninja comes along as that'll be 2 summer places needing paid for.
Yeah tenner a day on some courses, others were £35 the week, Its a dear do.
Now if you were in our area he wouldn't be allowed to do most of them courses though, because of his age, wierd that.
The rules are set by each local authority. Some see it OK for 5yo to have footie leesons some say they have to 6. Maybe something to do with the actual people who take the lessons. Some are comfortable with younger kids, some have had problems with a certain age range (mucking about, not concentrating).
But :yes: expensive.
I'm no expert, but my mum teaches, and I know that she doesn't get a break over the holidays. She just works from home.
With younger children there is lesson planning and so on to be done, as well as departmental responsibilities. With older children (I'm thinking mostly GCSE age and above) there are often (in my experience) practice exams, or essays set to be in for half term, so teachers have to mark these as well.
I'm not saying it's right that kids are messed about with different teachers, not at all. But the holidays aren't holidays for teachers like they are for the kids. And surely it's a good thing that teachers are going on courses, so that, theoretically, they have more skills that they can pass on to your children?
It's just one of those situations where there just isn't enough time for everything, I think. But like I say, I'm no expert.
Oh yes I have to agree. I think it just seems as though her teacher is always off on courses, at least thats what Becks comes home and tells me.