General Chat

here in east susex we have the 6 term year

and boy do we hate it

That's true Sue, they are early this year. But come to think of it, I did remark at Christmas that the holidays were short. They broke up on the 22nd Dec and went back on 3rd Jan. So maybe we're getting the extra days tagged on at Easter

Here in Surrey we still have a 3 term year. State schools in Surrey have Good Friday & Easter Monday off, then break up (most at lunchtime) on Friday 4th April and go back Monday 21st April. So in fact they are having 2 extra days holiday as normally Good Friday & Easter Monday come within the 2 week Easter holidays.

I heard on the TV that because Easter was exceptionally early this year, the holidays were arranged like this to shorten the time between Easter and May ½ term. I think it was said that Easter is the earliest this year since 1913.

Sue
xx

That doesn't surprise me Ann.

Jeanette what annoys me is the age at which a child is classed as an adult or a child changes depending on what it concerns. Holiday companies charge adult prices for children at 12yrs, cinemas charge at 15 and the bus companies, round here at 16. Yet, officially, a child is still a child until they turn 18.

I am sure the holiday firms have already caught on as when we were trying to book for April, all the air fares for about 4 weeks were high.

Ann
Glos

Hiya Jupee

We've always booked last minute holidays cos OH is self employed and we go when he has a lull in his workload. I've always had to pay adult price for the kids when they were under 12. They'll both be 12 and over this year so it won't matter, and guess what? OH wants me to book it in advance!

I'd go for the latter Jeanette. I've booked an holiday this year, a week in Spain, and they're penalising me for being a single parent. My daughter has to go as an adult as opposed to 1 adult and 1 child.

Will this mean that some of us with children will get a cheaper holiday if the schools time it right.....or will the travel companies put the prices up across a longer period and penalise those without children.

Any bets anyone?????

My two broke up last Friday and have two weeks off, returning on 31st March.

Elaine, it sure confuses us retirees who like to book our holidays out of school holidays - no chance now!!

Bet this confuses the holiday companies :o))

we go back the 31st March break up tomorrow
catherine
xx

Best bit is mine are 4 day week from feb-june ....coz of all this carry on and the bank Holidays !!

Mine break up tomorrow & then off until 8th April.

Next holiday is Whitsun & then don't break up for the summer until 22nd July - it's going to be a long hot summer :-)

mine have just broken up go back Thursday 3rd April

so two weeks

then its the long haul til half term but there are a couple of teacher training days coming up as well

Mine have the Easter long weekend, then break up next friday 28th half day for two weeks to return on the tuesday (inset day mon)

I think ive got to go in on mon for training but get paid extra :o)))

nice short week this week and an even shorter one next week :o))))))))))

There a are a few schools in Essex who run on the four terms. The Summer holidays are only 3 weeks long (bliss)
Not heard of the six terms though.

Standard School Year recommended calendar for 2007-08
These calendars are recommended for implementation in local authorities in England. They have been drawn up in accordance with the following principles established by the LGA Standing Committee on the School Year:

start the school year on a September date as near as possible to 1 September; equalise teaching and learning blocks (roughly 2x7 and 4x6 weeks); establish a two-week spring break in early April irrespective of the incidence of the Easter bank holiday. (Where the break does not coincide with the bank holiday the date should be, as far as practicable, nationally agreed and as consistent as possible across all local authorities); allow for the possibility of a summer holiday of at least six weeks for those schools which want this length of break. identify and agree annually designated periods of holiday, including the summer holiday, where head teachers are recommended not to arrange teacher days. The objective is to provide a model which allows for local flexibility, especially at the beginnings and ends to school terms, so as not to interrupt the integrity of smoother curriculum delivery, learning and assessment, and that teachers and parents with children at school in neighbouring authorities are not inconvenienced by differing term and holiday dates.

LGA recognises that 2007-08 presents particular difficulties owing to the timing of Easter and other factors, especially in those authorities looking to make their first move towards applying the principles of the standard school year which include that of even term lengths after Christmas. We are aware that that in some areas, in the light of extensive local consultation, there will authorities who wish to a place a higher priority to the tradition of linking the Easter bank holidays to the two-week break between terms 4 and 5. It is implicit in the statutory duty on local authorities to set term dates, that in doing so they should consult and then do what they consider right for their communities in the light of their consultations.

LGA maintains its position, however, while fully understanding the outcome of local consultations and decisions already taken, that in those occasional years like 2008 when an early Easter and other factors point towards it, the Easter bank holidays should form a long weekend within term 4 and not part of the subsequent two-week holiday.



Maybe this explains it better.

Mine break up tomorrow and go back on 7th April, i worked out they then have a 7wk term at school on the 6th wk my triplets take there yr 6 SATS, i dont anticipate them doing well they are going to be tired, dont think they thought this out well.

Star

Found this but it is only a brief explanation
For most schools, the current school year is divided into three terms. However, some local authorities have introduced a year with six terms, each of similar length (known as the 'Standard School Year').