Lengthy school holidays are an antiquated relic of the Victorian era – a necessity for the agricultural economy of the nineteenth century when schools needed long summer holidays so children could toil in the fields. School is good for education so if you have more holidays … It's disadvantage piled upon disadvantage – how is this fair? Colleges and universities often have shorter years. Summer learning loss is a well-known phenomenon in many schools. Are the School Holidays Too Long? In the United States, an academic year typically has a duration of approximately 180 school days for students from years K–12, running from the early (Northern Hemisphere) fall to early summer. Children don’t need a six-week break You know what? Yes, I concede your point that we know that poorer children can suffer a "dip" in their academic performance over the summer, but this issue is much more complex than it first appears. as we used to say in my comp playground. The expected result would be the more moneyed parents running around, keeping up with the tutoring, extra-reading, rural walks, library visits, chosen sports, et al. Make memories………, Your email address will not be published. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. A few posts here will tell you that "some schools" in the States have more broken-up vacations and shorter summers, but that is really quite rare. Yes, there are times (more likely for my wife) that we wish they were back at school but by and large we enjoy them being home. As summer school holidays in Britain last six weeks, Kerry Davies and Vicki Psarias debate whether or not the school holidays last too long. By Greg Martin 02 February 2012 • 20:33 pm Summer holidays vary greatly from country to country. I have often thought whether it would be better to have the breaks spread out throughout the year, but there is so much bother concerned with getting organised before and after long breaks. One of the primary concerns for people who are against a prolonged vacation is because of the “forgetfulness” factor. Holiday dates are given as a Saturday date "after classes", as some schools have lessons on Saturday mornings, and return on a Monday morning. Barbara Ellen: Francis, I would always have argued that school holidays are too long.For parents, that is. Children need to calm down and have a good holiday at the end of a busy school year. To go out and explore, play, learn, develop, get mucky and enjoy life. Your list of things that parents should be doing with their children is depressing because underlying it is the notion that parents should be "instructing" their children – that they should be surrogate teachers – rather than providing the love and attention that our children desperately need. FG: Barbara, we're really getting to the root of the matter here because your response ultimately raises a crucial question: what are the respective roles of parents and teachers in this modern, high-octane society? The Economist explains Why school summer holidays are too long. Their letters glow with love. I agree that there are many complex ingrained and toxic reasons why poorer children fare less well at school, and these need addressing with great urgency. I love the fact my girls get a 6 week break. Explaining the … I have so many fond memories of just enjoying the summer days with my mates. Before long kids become adults and unless they enter a teaching or associated profession these long summer holidays will be a memory of childhood. Get out into the great outdoors and explore. Our government seem to have this idea that making things harder and testing at younger and younger ages will somehow produce a generation of better educated kids. Barbara Ellen: Francis, I would always have argued that school holidays are too long. Meanwhile the stressed poorer parent hasn't the time or the cash to compete. My general ramblings are over on Twitter and you can also find me on Facebook too. Why shorter holidays are good ... during the long summer holiday children forget a lot of ... with all its summer schemes and after-school clubs. Fortunately my wife works in a school and thus child care in the holidays is not an issue for us so I’ll put that out there straight away. As John Lennon sang in the quintessential summer of 1967, "All you need is love…", Available for everyone, funded by readers. These cookies do not store any personal information. Then again, "Hard cheds!" Not only are you supposed to provide non-stop entertainment for weeks on end, now it seems there must also be an element of "home-schooling" and "self improvement", lest your child be one of those who fall behind. Children don’t need a six-week break. I'd like to say to a lot of parents I come across: "Forget all that nightmarish 'hothousing' advice that clogs up the press, and just pay some attention to your child! Why are school holidays so long? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In some boroughs, such as Tower Hamlets, where I live, the poorest children's academic performance has actually significantly improved in recent years for a number of reasons, one of which has been the improved provision that the borough has provided during the summer holidays. French school holidays are the periods when schools in France, and all the pupils in them, have a holiday.The dates are fixed nationally by the Ministry of Education for a period of three years. Let's help all areas provide this wealth of activities that raise aspirations rather than locking children up in school all summer. Leastways underprivileged children, who hold their own during the academic term but fall behind every summer because they miss out on the stimulation and structure better-off parents are able to provide throughout the holidays. You'll find me blogging and vlogging about all aspects of being a parent, as well as our microadventures, photography, running, family attractions & venues reivews, experience, running, food and much more. Orignally I think most school terms revolved around the Church year ( and that also explains why the holidays are where they are, the terms are called what they are and why they are long. Realistically, School holidays are enough as it is and that having more holidays would be too much, Because you would want to be at school in that period of time doing work rather than having freedom. The point is that the activities are voluntary. Firstly I thought about my present, as a parent and a working parent at that. 4 Little Things To Support Your Pregnant Wife. And we expect more 'things' than what an average family would have had a few generations ago. From my point of view, school children should be given long holidays. This arrangement changed and, by the 1930s, children had approximately the same amount of time off as children do today, give or take a week. Sorry, I don’t conform to that view and neither do many, many teachers. It’s commonly believed that school kids started taking summers off in the 19th century so that they’d have time to work on the farm. The summer hols are a prolonged period in which our children can find out who they really are and really be themselves – without the restrictive rules and regulations of school to confine them. For parents, that is. At the end of the year, children need a rest and need to take a lengthy holiday to get them motivated for a new class in september. Check out my vlogs on my YouTube channel. As a teacher, I do think that many parents need to stop panicking about being bad parents. Fortunately my wife works in a school and thus child care in the holidays is not an issue for us so […] The reasons why children from poor backgrounds do badly at school are complex; social, economic, psychological and educational factors all play a role. ... for this idea comes from research in US which found that children from poorer backgrounds tended to drop back during school holidays whereas children from better of backgrounds tended not to. Its not that school holidays are long. It's an interesting topic for my family because I have a husband who's a high school teacher. It goes on to point out schools in Britain have shorter summer holidays than many other countries. Elspeth, 12, England When I asked him if the holidays were too long, I got the big N.O. "In Spain summer holidays are 3 months long (11 weeks), you finish in June and start mid September, because it's so hot. ’ t remember those for parents four weeks activities that raise aspirations rather than locking up... 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