Unity Schools Partnership recently moved all of its 40 primary, secondary and specialist schools to a two-week half-term holiday. This decision elicited positive and negative responses from parents as well as educators. Though many recognize the positives of a long stretch off, some clamor about the added concerns of planning childcare and any possible financial impacts. This announcement coincides with a wider debate about the structure of school holidays in England.
Sarah Garner from Unity Schools Partnership Conservative Councils such as Southampton and Warrimoo, have seen a significant uptick in attendance after adopting the two-week mid-term break. Garner reports the transmission of illness among students is down drastically since the long holiday. While it may seem like a small change, it is making the school healthier environment. She continued that the run up to Christmas had an impact on staff and student attendance. To counter this, they made the bold move of piloting a two-week half-term to assess its effect on students and staff. We are thrilled with how much this has improved attendance, both staff and student since we rolled this out.
Growing Popularity of Extended Breaks
An increasing number of schools in England are now bringing in the longer half-term breaks. This momentum is picking up speed, as more and more institutions start to consider making the move. A survey by Parentkind charity found that almost half of parents support making all half-terms two weeks long. This new policy would free families to spend more quality time in their communities. At its core, this sentiment expresses an interest in making it easier to juggle family obligations with the demands of work schedules.
Reaching this decision In Nottinghamshire, the county council moved to a two-week holiday structure in 2019. The change led by example, prompting many other districts to follow suit and implement the same market model. Indeed, last year proposals to extend the half-term in Wales met fierce criticism from teaching unions. This scenario reveals the challenge of executing impactful, systemic changes uniformly across the country.
Paul Scott, My Budget Break representative, sounded the ominous bell on the disturbing trend. Fleecing families Tour operators often hike up prices not only during the half-term week itself, but on the surrounding “shoulder dates.” He pointed out that such a practice makes it less affordable and accessible for families wanting to travel, including in peak times like school break weeks.
Childcare Challenges Arise
Even with the many, proven positive impacts of a two-week break, worries about childcare are still an ongoing issue. Lydia Hodges from Parentkind noted that nearly a quarter of holiday clubs do not open during half-terms, making it difficult for working parents to find suitable care for their children. She remarked, “Finding childcare might be tricky, as nearly a quarter of holiday clubs don’t open during half-terms, and those that do may only open for one week.”
Sabrina McCullough of Money Wellness echoed fiery support for these sentiments. She raised up the unique burden on single parents and people working nonstandard schedules who have to deal with inflexibility. She stated, “For families with children in different schools, managing mismatched holiday dates can be a logistical nightmare and make arranging shared childcare even harder.”
Parents have really gotten vocal on social media about what they’re frustrated with. One mother told us she was angry at having to work out additional childcare arrangements with an extended holiday.
Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks
Advocates for the move say extending the in-school school year will help relieve pressure going back on families. It helps them spread their vacation days out over the year. Rebecca Horne from the campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed highlighted that an extended October break could help parents avoid “having to twist like a pretzel to make the gigantic summer holiday work.”
Furthermore, some educators believe that extending the half-term break could lead to better overall attendance during what is typically the longest school term. The case for a simple two-week recess includes improving worker absenteeism and setting our students up in a more hospitable and healthier place to learn.