EXCLUSIVE What parents REALLY think of the schools which are giving pupils an extra week off for 'cheaper holidays'

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

Parents have criticised plans to give pupils an extra week off school so they can go on cheaper holidays - saying it will be a 'burden' for those that work full time.
Under the controversial new scheme, students will have the autumn half term holiday extended from one week to two.
But school days will be lengthened slightly throughout the year to make up for the missed lesson time.
Schools spearheading the revolution include North Walsham High School and Long Stratton High School, both run by the same trust in Norfolk.
Critics previously attacked the 'ridiculous' changes, warning they are more about 'making life easy for teachers' and are 'dumbing down' education.
Now parents at the two impacted schools have weighed in on the row - with some saying they will struggle to organise childcare during the additional time off.
James Fraser, 43, who has two children, including a nine-year-old at primary school and a 13-year-old at North Walsham High School, criticised the plans.
He said: 'I don't think it's well thought out because of the impact it will have on parents. It will have an impact on many people, including grandparents.
'My youngest one is at junior school and there's been no co-ordination between the schools.
'I'm in a position where, as a parent, I can be flexible, but it's not as if you can go to your boss and say, "Can I work an extra ten minutes in my day and get a week off?"
'This is going to cause too much disruption. It's really hard for some parents. Their time is so compressed and difficult they don't even have the time to fight it.'
Meanwhile, Heidi Walker, 48, who owns a vape shop in Long Stratton called JJ Vapes, also warned that parents will struggle to take the time off.
She said: 'I would not say I agree with it at all. It's a burden for people who work and have to get childcare.'
One parent of two children at North Walsham High School, who didn't want to give her name, added: 'Both my children are at the same school.
'It's not very good for people who have children at different schools. It would be a nuisance.'
On Thursday, North Walsham executive headteacher James Gosden said the changes to the school holidays would help parents avoid price hikes by airlines.
He said they would also reduce staff absence by giving them a 'better break' during periods with high levels of sickness.
Parents had supported the change, Mr Gosden said, with 78 per cent of the 157 families who responded to a consultation in favour.
It came as a new survey also revealed that half of frazzled parents want summer holidays to be slashed from six to four weeks and half terms extended.
Research by the charity Parentkind found many families think the summer break is too long, and would prefer time off to be spread more evenly throughout the year.
Amy Thomas, 40, is a nail technician in Long Stratton. She said: 'I read about this. I know people who have children at Long Stratton High School.
'I personally think they would have been better off taking a week off the six-week holidays and making it shorter, instead of increasing the school day.
'It's quite a long day for children. They've got to spend longer at school now to claw it back.'
Helen Moxon, 50, has a nephew at Long Stratton High School.
She said: 'My nephew said they're changing the times for school. He didn't say much more. He's nearly 16, so he doesn't talk much.
'They [the holiday companies] will just adjust.
'I don't agree with the whole fining people for kids taking time out of school. If parents have a valid reason they should be able to do it.
'If you're sensible about it, what's the problem about taking them out? The teachers must agree to it now.
'I have friends who are teachers who do say they absolutely must be at school because they need to learn stuff.'
One parent, who didn't want to give her name, said: 'I think it's a good idea. But will the holiday people put their prices up?'
Julia McDonald, 62, said of the changing term dates: 'I think it's marvellous for people who have school-age children because it can only make holidays cheaper.
'When mine were children it was okay to take them out for a week. We would take them to places like Rome. We took them to The Colosseum.
'It was educational. But they [the schools] started to get very serious about it [parents taking children out of school during term time].
'I was chair of governors at a primary school and when this [fining parents for taking children out of school] I was against it.'
Desislava Hristova, 38, has a daughter at Long Stratton High School.
Desislava said of her daughter thinks about the plans: 'She's very happy about it [the longer Autumn term holiday]. I think it's a good idea.
'It will make my life much easier.
'In October, it's better for us to travel and it will make it more affordable to visit family in Bulgaria and Turkey. It will until the holiday companies ratchet up their prices.
'There's a paradox. Kids are on school holidays and travel agencies and companies manipulate their prices and don't give people a choice.'
Sam Reynolds, 49, is a mother of two from North Walsham, who has a daughter aged nine at a primary school there and a 12-year-old at the high school.
She said: 'We got a letter saying they were going to trial it in October and see how it went and have a two-week half term, instead of a one week one.
'They decided to try it because of cheaper holidays for families and also because there's a lot of sickness when people go back to school.
'I suppose it's just germs everywhere. My girls get colds when they go back to school after the six-week summer holiday.
'It's quite difficult to explain to a nine-year-old why they only get a one-week holiday while their sister gets a two-week holiday.'
She said: 'I don't think having longer holidays will affect them. They're at high school and if they want to learn they'll learn. You cannot dictate in high school.
'I'm quite old-fashioned. I don't take my children out of school for school holidays but some people do.
'I think they need to be in school for educational and social reasons.
'I think the fines are quite high. Apparently, the fines out-weight the savings you make on a holiday.
'The travel companies need to address the situation.'
Anne-Marie Grinsted, 37, has a daughter in nursery but heard about the changes at North Walsham High School.
She said: 'I think it's a good idea. I hope it's in place when my little girl is at school. I think the holiday companies will have changed things by then to charge extra.'
But Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, told the Mail: 'We have to ask what's more important – a passport to Majorca or a passport to [children's] futures?'
Mr McGovern said decisions about school breaks should be based on children's education, rather than convenience to parents.
He said: 'We need to be upping the academic demands on children. This is dumbing down.'
He added: 'Children need to have shorter lessons, rather than longer lessons. They get tired during the day.
'They have to provide a minimum number of hours per year, so in theory they could just make days longer and longer and the number of days shorter and shorter.
'Education is not about making life easier for teachers – it's what's in the best interests for children.
'The workload for teachers has been reduced, for example school reports are now AI-generated. In some respects, they have never had it so good.
'It is still a hard job but it's a vocation as well. We shouldn't be changing the school year to fit in with the holiday plans of teachers.'
One parent, who asked not to be named, previously complained: 'It's ridiculous. October isn't when most families are taking holidays.
'I was against this because I don't see how it's going to benefit my kids.
'I've also got to make arrangements for them on these days, while teachers get more time off.'
Another said: 'Ten minutes a day won't make up for losing a whole week in school.
'And a week either side of the summer holidays would have been better than a week at Halloween.'
There was further criticism online, with comments including: 'Are holidays more important than getting an education?
'And who can afford a two-week autumn holiday anyway except teachers?'