Are two-week half-terms a blessing or a curse?
Are two-week half-terms a blessing or a curse?
As the end of October approaches, teachers and pupils alike are looking forward to the half-term holiday. But in some places, the traditional week off has become a fortnight. What do parents, teachers and experts think?
Unity Schools Partnership has decided to implement a two-week half-term across its eight primaries in Norfolk, following a trial last year.
The partnership, which already operates a two-week holiday in its Suffolk schools, said it was doing so to improve everyone's wellbeing and reduce ill-health absences.
Elsewhere, some other councils, including Nottinghamshire, already have two-week autumn half-term holidays, while others, including Surrey , are soon to adopt them.
In England, maintained schools - those funded and controlled by the local authority - must provide at least 190 days of education a year.
Other schools, including academies, free schools, foundation schools and voluntary-aided schools, have more freedom to set their own term dates.
While many are moving towards two-week autumn half-terms, most of these are shortening the summer holiday by a week to compensate.
That is not happening at Unity's schools, which are instead able to choose how to make up the lost 32.5 hours.
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