The Nuffield Foundation Suggests Reforming The School Year (BBC News)

This is from a post on Linked In and adds a different perspective - one you are unlikely to see from a pupil/parents point of view.

If we look at the data we can dig into this some more -
The average teacher gets 65 working days or 13 weeks (Monday to Friday) off every year.
The average UK worker gets 28 working days or 5.6 weeks off per year.

So far the teacher is clearly in the lead by 37 extra working days across the year.

However...
The average full time teacher or school leader works 53.4 hours a week (2023 DfE data).
Where as the average full time UK worker only does 31.8 hours a week (2022, ONS).

So the teacher works around 2,082 hours across their year 39 week year.
BUT the average worker only does 1,475 hours over their 46.4 week year.
607 hours less every year.

These are very rough calculations. Every job is different. Every role is different.

However don't believe the simplicity of 'teachers get more holidays'.

You don't. You sacrifice 21 hours more than the average UK work every working week. The half terms are you just taking your hours away from work in a different way.

www.linkedin.com/posts/mike-leaman_do-teachers-really-get-more-holidays-than-activity-7297155385436635136-g6fI

Casdon

Cumbrianmale56

There have been numerous attempts to reform the school leave year since the eighties, but none have gone beyond the discussion stage as the six week summer holidays remain popular among both pupils and staff. While probably in the past the teachers had six weeks to relax like the pupils, nowadays, many have to prepare for the new term and attend training days just before the new school year, and probably only have three to four weeks to chill.

Some areas have moved towards it. My three great nephews are at primary and secondary schools in Nottinghamshire, and my niece is a teacher. They have a shorter summer holiday, and two weeks off at half term in October. They all like it, it breaks up the long haul from going back to school after the summer holidays until Christmas.

The period between September and Christmas seems so long for everyone because there are no Bank Holidays in that period of time.

Cumbrianmale56

There have been numerous attempts to reform the school leave year since the eighties, but none have gone beyond the discussion stage as the six week summer holidays remain popular among both pupils and staff. While probably in the past the teachers had six weeks to relax like the pupils, nowadays, many have to prepare for the new term and attend training days just before the new school year, and probably only have three to four weeks to chill.

Some areas have moved towards it. My three great nephews are at primary and secondary schools in Nottinghamshire, and my niece is a teacher. They have a shorter summer holiday, and two weeks off at half term in October. They all like it, it breaks up the long haul from going back to school after the summer holidays until Christmas.

Well said Cumbrianmale56
Can we also look at the length of HoC holidays?
If the government changes school holidays, maybe they should think about their own days off.

They have four terms in Australia, terms divided by two weeks' break, but still have a long summer holiday of about 6 or 7 weeks over Christmas.

There have been numerous attempts to reform the school leave year since the eighties, but none have gone beyond the discussion stage as the six week summer holidays remain popular among both pupils and staff. While probably in the past the teachers had six weeks to relax like the pupils, nowadays, many have to prepare for the new term and attend training days just before the new school year, and probably only have three to four weeks to chill.

Thankfully she’s not encountered any bullying, it’s more the school system than anything else. I work in schools and I’ve heard so many shocking stories over the last couple of years regarding secondary schools.

PaperMonster2

She’s a very resilient child.

I think schools can be huge and impersonal now, quite daunting, especially for children who have been to small, friendly primary schools.
Some of the bullying that goes on is horrendous too.

She’s a very resilient child.

PaperMonster2

No, just an exhausted teen traumatised by the secondary system.

Traumatised?

I hope you have been able to use the afflicted "trauma" to show her how to build resilience.

PaperMonster2

No, just an exhausted teen traumatised by the secondary system.

That's sad. That pupils can't find enjoyment in their learning, yet have plenty of wind down time in the holidays.

No, just an exhausted teen traumatised by the secondary system.

PaperMonster2

Allira, my daughter’s 14!! We are trying not to think of the new term, although we did go to the uniform shop to see what the new style school skirts are like, but she decided against getting one.

The area I moved to as a teenager had Wakes Weeks. Hadn’t heard of them until then.

Oh, I misunderstood 😀
I thought she was an exhausted teacher!

Allira, my daughter’s 14!! We are trying not to think of the new term, although we did go to the uniform shop to see what the new style school skirts are like, but she decided against getting one.

The area I moved to as a teenager had Wakes Weeks. Hadn’t heard of them until then.

PaperMonster2

Takes my daughter a couple of weeks to decompress from the pressures of secondary. She just about gets back to her normal self and it’s time to go back. I’d be all for an extra couple of weeks in the summer!

Then there's all the work in the 'holidays' in preparation for the new term. DIL is working a couple of days a week.

Anyone remember Wakes weeks? Or Potters' holidays?
Blackpool or Rhyl were the places to go!
I think I first went to Blackpool when I was about six weeks old.

Takes my daughter a couple of weeks to decompress from the pressures of secondary. She just about gets back to her normal self and it’s time to go back. I’d be all for an extra couple of weeks in the summer!

When you think about it, the only people who can dictate when they can take their children on holiday are those who can afford Tutors or to home tutor themselves.

We so seem to be a country that expects an excessive service from the lowest possible tax. It obviously reasonable to expect good value for our taxes but if you want big changes - as we did after the war - we really have to accept that we have to pay for them.

Allira

GrannyGravy13

Allira the armed forces of the 21st century are extremely flexible unless you are deployed to a war zone.

Well, if you're sailing overseas on one of HM ships, they're not going to wait for you because you want to take the children on holiday in the school holidays.

I remember someone I knew being astonished because the RN was not flying DH home for the birth of our second child. 😀

Yes, the Navy is different to the Air Force and Army, sorry I should have been clearer.

Yes, I do know that, years later, Prince Andrew was flown home in time for the birth of Princess Beatrice. 🤬

GrannyGravy13

Allira the armed forces of the 21st century are extremely flexible unless you are deployed to a war zone.

Well, if you're sailing overseas on one of HM ships, they're not going to wait for you because you want to take the children on holiday in the school holidays.

I remember someone I knew being astonished because the RN was not flying DH home for the birth of our second child. 😀

How does it work for home educated children of which there is an increasing number year on year? I'm guessing they can have time out whenever they like.

easybee it’s not just foreign holidays a campsite in the back of beyond in the UK puts its prices up in the school holidays, as do Centre Parc’s, Butlin’s, hotels.

It is basically being punished in your pocket for having children and wanting to give them family experiences

Mine never missed the start of the school term. I was told by the class teacher each time they missed those few days that they would miss nothing important. I asked for school work that would be missed and told there was none. This was at primary not secondary where I did find some teachers worked to the last day.

You don't help your case buy complaining about teacher's holidays.

The children missed nothing apart from Christmas dvds and printed sheets of Christmasy stuff. I printed similar off to keep them occupied while travelling. They never missed the school plays or the carol service in church. The same was true for the last few days of the summer term.

Same old story, don't miss anything important at Christmas or end of school year because getting a cheaper holiday is far more important. The Christmas week is full of Christmas activities and information, plus assemblies, carols and parties. Summer term is preparation for next term, with transfer to new class, sorting out places, timetables and activities and children who miss this time start the new year at a disadvantage; oh yes they do.
Some primary schools do try to arrange at least three of the training days at the end of the school year, so parents may beat the school holiday price hike,(but not teachers). Undoubtedly the travel companies will catch on to this, but which is most important: a child's education or a foreign holiday?

Mollygo perhaps child centric was the wrong phrase.

I have been a parent/grandparent helper and as I posted up thread we have teachers in our extended family.

The HT of today have so much box ticking to ensure their place in the school tables and the dreaded Ofsted prize of excellence that there is no time for the quiet child, the gifted child, the sporty child.

They are like products in a factory, fed in at one end and turned out at the other all expected to have the same knowledge and ability, which of course they do not and then are made to feel like failures if the dreaded SATS are below expectations.

These are our precious next generation, I know they have to learn and be prepared for senior school, but nothing I have seen since Covid has convinced me that the Education Department have got it right, just look at all the youngsters trying to get access to mental healthcare some as young as 7-8, this must be an indicator for change…