Changes to school year look more likely

[rob@rar.org.uk]

See this BBC article for latest news on the debate on changing the school year. As far as I'm aware the main changes will be to fix the 'Easter' holiday for the first two weeks of April (regardless of when Easter falls), and to reduce the summer holiday by one week, adding it to the October half-term.

For those of us restricted to school holidays I think this change would make it easier to plan holidays to Orlando. There would be occasional years when Easter did not fall within the first two weeks of April (so a holiday at theat time would not hit the Easter crowds), and two weeks in Octrober would become a possibility without having to skip school.

Regards

Rob

 

[Dimplenose]

Surrey have already made their decision. We will have a fixed spring break in April but keep the one week October half term. We had a form to fill in with our preferences last year before the decision was made. The changes start Sept 2005.

Libby

 

[kazzie]

I think both those changes are excellent ideas and wish they would be implemented immediately!

I work in a primary school in a different borough to the one my DS attends school in,so only hope that all schools change rather than just some, otherwise I'll be in trouble

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

Yes, our LA - North Lanarkshire Council have changed the Easter Holidays to first 2 weeks in April from next year - and we're going to WDW!!!!This is a full week after the Easter weekend.
Looking forward to less crowds (hopefully) and cooler weather with less humidity (it's a killer...........)

Cath

 

[TracyK]

It would be great if the schools in Wales followed suit. Two weeks in October sounds great.
Tracy

 

[Hilary]

With eldest DD now in university and youngest DD with only three more school years to go, I don't expect the changes to make any practical difference to us now.

However, I think the proposals, as outlined by rob, sound great! Having the Easter holidays flexible (to coincide with the Easter weekend) has always been a problem in making school spring and summer terms unequal in length. Making the Easter vacation fixed will at least allow staff and students to plan for two equal-length terms, and two weeks in October would be excellent from a Florida-trip perspective .

 

[richard3330]

DS's prep school get 2 weeks at October Half-Term and an 8 week summer holiday. I agree that fixing the Easter break to the first two weeks of April would be a good idea. Like Rob pointed out, it would be a great way of avoiding some of the dreadful easter crowds at WDW during Spring Break during years when Easter does not fall during this time.

Richard.

 

[RUSHBURY]

Hi

Our school holidays for 2005 have been fixed for the 1st 2 weeks of April and we're also getting the long weekend over Easter.

We always have 2 weeks in October - Argyll, west coast of Scotland - and have done since I was in school - and that wasn't yesterday!!!!

Helen

 

[signtalker]

That sounds good(for our 2006 trip)

So does that mean they will still get the one week at May?

Jules

 

[Goofyish]

I think in Leicestershire we had a vote and the majority voted to keep to the existing system

Shame - two weeks in October would be very useful.

 

[kazzie]

I checked the article you gave a link to,according to that neither the London borough we live in nor the one my son attends school in have agreed to the change

 

[MARTINIUS]

However - watch how the Holiday/Flight prices miraculously rise to coincide with these new dates!

 

[Madjock]

That would be so much better. I hope it goes through to.

Annmarie