Would you shorten school holidays

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I was reading somewhere that a council in England are proposing to shorten the (already much shorter than ours) school Summer holidays to 5 weeks, and give extra holidays over Christmas and the Autumn mid-term.

Personally, I think long Summer holidays in childhood are one of those special things you remember long after you have grown up, creating some wonderful memories.

For secondary schools, however, I think the 3 months they get is far too long and a lot of teenagers are just hanging around bored, or cadging money off their parents, or lying in bed until lunchtime. It would make more sense to spread it out a bit over the year, for everyone concerned

Just wondering if you'd change school holidays if you had any say, or do you think they're grand as they are?

freshpopcorn

I think the school holidays are fine. You've enough time to work when your older.
I don't know how you'd shorten the Summer holidays for secondary school because of the Leaving/Junior cert taking place because it would make a school a very noisy environment and schools wouldn't even have the room!

SEPT 23 1989

secondary school holidays are way too long and its made worse because the younger ones cant get a summer job legally like we used to do at that age

osarusan

Let me dig out my answers from the previous dozen threads on this.

Story Bud?

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

secondary school holidays are way too long and its made worse because the younger ones cant get a summer job legally like we used to do at that age

I think you can still get a summer job at 14? I could be wrong though.

I think they're fine the way they are. Leave them off as kids, they won't be getting those kind of breaks for the rest of their lives.

Maximus Alexander

Good luck getting this past the teachers...

Winterlong

A lot of families work extra in the run up to Christmas, seasonal work and the like. So lengthening the Christmas holiday would not be a good move IMO.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

osarusan wrote: »

Let me dig out my answers from the previous dozen threads on this.

Well that's why I put a clear title on the thread. So people who weren't interested wouldn't have to open it. :rolleyes:

Shenshen

I've no opinion either way, really - but the most predominant memory I have of summer school holidays when I was a child is endless, bottomless, infinite boredom.
It wasn't that I missed school, it's just that filling 6 weeks with things you want to do as a child always leaves time over at the end.

spurious

Second level school holidays are the length they are because of the exams. If the way the exams are asked/marked changes, then the holidays can change.

Judging by the fact that the SEC are still advertising for correctors, it might be close enough whether the results get out on time this year.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I wonder is there a way around the exam issue. What happens in England when state exams are held during term time?

freshpopcorn

Ibrahim Thankful Porcupine wrote: »

I wonder is there a way around the exam issue. What happens in England when state exams are held during term time?

I honestly don't know.
I know when I did my leaving cert almost every class room in the school was taken up with leaving cert classes, junior cert classes, LCA 1 and 2. Then there was a good few people with scribes ad readers who all needed a separate room. There was a time when the Leaving/Junior certs were allowed to do there exams in a hall in my school but this now is illegal. The only option would really really be to return earlier in August!

diomed

They need at least three months if they are to perfect their soccer skills and win the World Cup in the future.

ScumLord

If they think they can improve test scores and make people smarter then maybe. But just for the sake of it, no. The less time people spend in school losing their respect for authority and education the better. Most people don't really start educating themselves until the foul taste of the education system has worn off and they find learning can actually be fun.

The Backwards Man

There was no such thing as boredom in my day. We were glad to get back to school for a rest.

'Boredom' is what you get when you outlaw child labour

MilesMorales1

Oh yeah. In the UK, ours used to be from the last week in July till 2nd September, no matter what, 5 weeks or less usually. Don't need all the time you guys take, 12 weeks is way too long.


edit - when state exams are on, school goes on around said exams.

IvyTheTerrible

I don't remember being bored during the school holidays, I mostly remember enjoying myself. It was great being outside on the long evenings playing.

The Backwards Man

The Backwards Man wrote: »

There was no such thing as boredom in my day. We were glad to get back to school for a rest.

'Boredom' is what you get when you outlaw child labour

I was in the Uk at the weekend and went to a national trust property it was a restored apprentices house and mill. Children were take from the workhouse or put in by poor parents, the children were age 9 and worked a 72 hour week!!! for no pay and after that attended school two hours a week and had to work in the garden. The one we saw was considered a model of system because they did not beat the children.

R.D. aka MR.D

I used to work in schools in Asia where the kids barely get any holidays at all and it's soul destroying. It makes school seem like it is the be all and end all of living and in turn prepares them to work non-stop as adults. It also kind of stunts them emotionally/mentally, in my personal opinion.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I don't remember being bored during the school holidays, I mostly remember enjoying myself. It was great being outside on the long evenings playing.

I was rarely bored as a child, but I do remember some very boring times as a teenager. I was too old to 'go out and play' but too young to have the freedom and money to go places I wanted and enjoy myself.

So there was lots of hanging around the house, my mother shouting at us to turn down the music, go out and get some air etc. and just a general feel of boredom and having nothing to do. I think at that age I would have been better off with shorter Summer holidays and a few days extra at Christmas and Easter.

IvyTheTerrible

Ibrahim Thankful Porcupine wrote: »

I was rarely bored as a child, but I do remember some very boring times as a teenager. I was too old to 'go out and play' but too young to have the freedom and money to go places I wanted and enjoy myself.

So there was lots of hanging around the house, my mother shouting at us to turn down the music, go out and get some air etc. and just a general feel of boredom and having nothing to do. I think at that age I would have been better off with shorter Summer holidays and a few days extra at Christmas and Easter.

Ah I always had a summer job from the age of 13 so any time off I got wasn't boring.

ScumLord

Ibrahim Thankful Porcupine wrote: »

I was rarely bored as a child, but I do remember some very boring times as a teenager. I was too old to 'go out and play' but too young to have the freedom and money to go places I wanted and enjoy myself.

So there was lots of hanging around the house, my mother shouting at us to turn down the music, go out and get some air etc. and just a general feel of boredom and having nothing to do. I think at that age I would have been better off with shorter Summer holidays and a few days extra at Christmas and Easter.

When I was growing up we were kicked out of the house in the morning and not let back in until dinner time. We used to have great fun making things, sliding down hills on silage bags, setting things on fire, stealing apples, going on adventures. We were a never ending torrent of mischief. Kids aren't allowed to get up to mischief anymore. Parents are more like wardens these days.

IvyTheTerrible

ScumLord wrote: »

When I was growing up we were kicked out of the house in the morning and not let back in until dinner time. We used to have great fun making things, sliding down hills on silage bags, setting things on fire, stealing apples, going on adventures. We were a never ending torrent of mischief. Kids aren't allowed to get up to mischief anymore. Parents are more like wardens these days.

It really depends on the parents!
My son is always up to mischief.

endacl

No way. I like having three paid months off in the summer.

Agricola

I'd leave them be. My memories of summer holidays are just warm weather (no idea), Mr. Freezes, football all day everyday with tennis on the side when Wimbledon was on. Playing army in the woods, climbing trees, walking for miles through fields to go to nothing in particular then walking back. Walking to the shop a mile away to top up on Mr. Freezes. Apart from the odd beach trip or bus to the big schmoke for a day in town, we were never brought anywhere, there were no organized activities like kids have today. It was just being outside when it was fine, and playing playstation when it was wet. Seemed like the greatest times ever and I used to count the days in May til it began again.

The Backwards Man

mariaalice wrote: »

I was in the Uk at the weekend and went to a national trust property it was a restored apprentices house and mill. Children were take from the workhouse or put in by poor parents, the children were age 9 and worked a 72 hour week!!! for no pay and after that attended school two hours a week and had to work in the garden. The one we saw was considered a model of system because they did not beat the children.

Halcyon days.

Steve F

Story Bud? wrote: »

I think you can still get a summer job at 14? I could be wrong though.

I think they're fine the way they are. Leave them off as kids, they won't be getting those kind of breaks for the rest of their lives.

Unless they become Teachers

(I'll leave now shall I? )

The Backwards Man

endacl wrote: »

No way. I like having three paid months off in the summer.

If it was up to me you'd be spending the whole summer working pro bono.

Steve F

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If it was up to me you'd be spending the whole summer working pro bono.

What's U2's lead singer got to do with all this?:D

Buona Fortuna

If we make the holidays shorter, how would we get the harvest in?

twowheelsonly

As things stand working parents have a window of maybe 12 weeks (secondary) or 8-9 weeks (primary) to book their own leave from work and potentially book a holiday somewhere at home or abroad.
Shorten the School holidays and that window becomes shorter making it impossible for some people to get leave at the same time as their kids and secondly driving up the price of holidays.
As it is holidays are at their most expensive during what is now peak periods - shorten those peak periods and the price of the holiday rises.

AbusesToilets

I'd be more impressed if they altered school hours to better account for the different sleep requirements of teenagers, ie later starts in the morning.

endacl

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If it was up to me you'd be spending the whole summer working pro bono.

Working for Bono? Interesting, tell me more....

Elemonator

I had no problem getting a job at 15 in my local supermarket, but I got a smaller minimum wage (6.75 I think?). It was hardly taxing work anyway.

Anyway, I wouldn't shorten the summer holidays. I think they are just as important for your development as school is. The memories, friendships and general theme of the summer is good for anyone. I think that if kids are lying in bed and doing nothing, there isn't enough parental influence and its not the Governments problem. My parents motivated me and I was working and in the gym at 8am after all. 5 weeks isn't a terrible amount beyond what working people get and we have all seen what little holidays has done to them. Kids are kids and they can't handle that. I'm pretty sure Sweden and other countries are looking at introducing a 6 hour working day. Go figure.........

Mint Aero

What a waste of piss. Keep them in school full time with 20 to 25 days holidays a year at their discretion. Shorten the school year to 9 months and get them into the working world faster. Then decrease the age for retirement to 50 and ship anyone over 70 to the islands surrounding Ireland for orgies until death.