General Chat

I've just had a look at my duaghter's school website to find out how long the Easter hols are. They break up tonight and don't go back until the 8th April. That's a long time isn't it?

How long are yours off for?

that seems a long break. My daughters boys are off for two weeks but not until the beginning og April, for Easter they only have the long weekend, same here in Gloucester I think.

Ann
Glos

aaaaaaarrrhhhh...rite !!!!
Mine get tomorrow and Friday and monday OFF

Tue/wed/thur.in school
Friday the break for 3 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

coz we are using this new Spring break!!!!!! thingy set by goverment

Crikey Julie.....that's a long time

Ann....I was speaking to Julie Frater and her kids school are doing the same as your grandchildren

Blimey Kemp.....start stocking up on the tranquilizers! lol

Here in Wiltshire, they have got Good Friday and Easter Monday off, then they have a fortnight in April.

here in Portsmouth they are off Good Friday and Easter Monday then go back and have two off from 7th april

Hello Mrs H.

Ours finish on 28th March and return on 14th April

Tina x

Does this mean then that the summer holidays will be shorter? *crosses fingers*

Good point Karen.....I can't remember it happening before

My children break up tomorrow and go back on the 7th

and due to the shift patterns he works and easter my OH has a week off too

*goes to book myself a padded cell

It has been the norm here for the past two years... very inconvenient if you work. lol

There seems to be so many 'teacher training days ' off too....

Karen

It is not actually to do with Easter but is more to do with a new system of terms. i am not actually absolutely clear but i think they get four terms now in some areas and not three. Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will come on and explain.

ann
Glos

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').

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

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.

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.

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))))))))))

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 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 :-)