Have school hols changed in 2008?

Janette_2

I've just got details of holidays for my daughters school for the 2007/2008 term. I have noticed that for easter 2008 she will be off on 21st & 24th March for the easter weekend, back in school for two weeks and then off again for two weeks mid april. I'd like to know whether this is a change nationally or whether its just my local area - just wondering whether its going to be possible to get a reasonable priced holiday that isn't at school holiday prices!!!

BernadetteN

It depends entirely upon where you live. Kent where we live changed to a 6 term year but parents won't have really noticed the difference this academic year. They will notice it when Easter does not fall in the 2 week Spring break in 2008 and is instead a long weekend, as you describe. Kent was originally also going to have a shorter Summer break of around 4 weeks and a 5 term year but eventually compromised and opted for 6 more equal terms with 1 week at the end of October, 2 weeks at Christmas, 1 week in mid February, 2 weeks in April, 1 week at the end of May/beginnig June and 5/6 weeks in July/August.

I believe Sussex has changed to a 6 term year too, as well as Medway.

I'm sure UK holiday companies will soon suss out that many counties now have a 2 week break in April, even when Easter does not fall in this holiday, and will charge more. We try to get around the inflated prices you find with UK holiday companies by searching out French, Belgian, Dutch, German holiday companies where the school holidays are staggered and you do not get such inflated prices at certain times of the year. That has meant using our knowledge of German and a dictionary when booking in Dutch last year for example.

Geeni

Sounds like it might be a widespread change, can't remember the exact details, but we did get a letter confirming that the school holidays for Easter 2008 will be a couple of weeks after the Easter bank holidays. I hadn't noticed when we received the holiday schedule, but apparently parents had been calling the school thinking there must be a mistake.

Wonder whether the holiday operators have realised yet??:D

lottee

Well grab a brochure quick. They have been out for Winter 06 / 07 (November - April) for a couple of months, so there may be a slight chance they haven't caught onto it yet! But I doubt it - they will probably be printing a new edition as we speak!!! lol !!!

always_saving_3

I have two children at different schools and they also have the same dates & because of it my son also has a 2 week half-term in the autumn term 2007!!!!
However, another school in the same area (Portsmouth) has opted to break up 20/3/2008 for the holidays and go back approx. 3 weeks later.

deva

always have a check as you may be surprised what you find;
im from cheshire but working in lancashire in a school and have found that holidays from manchester are not holiday prices for my halfterm which is a week later than cheshire- off i go! £1000 or four of us HB

mad_bad_spender

All areas are different. My kids easter hols are early next year and they are off 20th march and back on the 7th april. My daughter's birthday is 16th april and normally falls in the end of the holidays! Summer is still one long break here next year as well. Problems with the holidays being different in other areas is that the travel companies can extend the peak times to cover all kids holidays and that covers most of the year these days.

hopeless_case_2

Well i am from county durham and I could not believe it when I read about the easter hols I have never heard anything like it in my kids going to school dont know about the 6 terms though but did notice taht the summer hols in 2008 start on tuesday 22nd?

arnie&caseysma!

Our area changed a couple of years ago so that the Easter hols are always in the same two weeks each year, with a long weekend at Easter weekend. This was to make the teaching curriculum easier instead of the last term being longer than others and trying to squeeze all the course work in etc.

Last year it also changed so that the sumer holidays were one week shorter and the Autumn break, or October hols, are two weeks instead of one week.

Each area varies and ours is different from the next region, and even the different authority areas within each region can be different (eg South Ayrshire different from North Ayrshire etc).

Keep checking, you can usually find out changes on the local council website.

farrell285

East Renfrewshire holidays last year and from now on are to be the first 2 weeks of April. Good Friday and Easter Monday are additional days off, if not falling within the first 2 weeks of April. Summer holidays are same as before and October holiday is one week. Areas that take 2 weeks in October tend to be traditional farming areas where the children would once have helped get the harvest in.