A new report suggests that England should update its school calendar, which has remained unchanged since the Victorian era, by implementing shorter summer breaks and longer mid-term breaks. This change would benefit both students and teachers.
The Nuffield Foundation will release a report next month that suggests changes to the school schedule in order to address education inequalities following the pandemic. These changes could include shortening summer holidays in state schools from six weeks to four, and lengthening autumn and winter breaks from one week to two.
The report’s synopsis suggests that it is necessary to make changes to the traditional school calendar that has been in use since the Victorian era.
Lee Elliot Major, a professor at the University of Exeter who specializes in social mobility, and one of the authors of the report, suggests that changing the academic schedule in England could be a budget-friendly and impactful approach to addressing the educational disparities that have emerged during the pandemic.
Major stated that redistributing school breaks throughout the year is a logical decision for education. This can benefit students’ well-being and teachers’ work-life balance without any additional expenses. It can also help parents with childcare expenses and potentially improve academic performance for many students.
“Shortening the summer vacation from six weeks to four weeks would still allow sufficient time for teachers to rest and recharge. Additionally, implementing two-week breaks during the February and October half-terms would provide much-needed respite during the most demanding periods of the school year.”
According to the report, there are calls to shorten holiday breaks due to concerns about learning loss during the summer. Students, particularly those from low-income families and those with special learning needs, may struggle to return to their studies after a lengthy break. As a result, the beginning of the new school year is often focused on reviewing material rather than progressing with new material. Teachers also notice an increase in behavioral and well-being problems after summer vacation.
The request for modifications comes after the Welsh government suggested changes to the academic calendar beginning in 2025-26. This includes shortening the summer break to five weeks and extending the autumn half-term. There may be more significant changes in the future, such as reducing the summer holiday to four weeks and altering the dates of the Easter break.
According to the report, a number of school trusts and local authorities in England have implemented a two-week autumn break or consolidated staff training days into one week instead of spreading them out throughout the year.
The Unity Schools Partnership, a group of academies, reported that their trial of a longer mid-term break in the previous fall resulted in a significant decrease in absences for both students and teachers. However, some parents raised concerns about the change due to difficulties with childcare.
The Teacher Tapp app conducted a recent poll which revealed that teachers have mixed opinions on shortening the summer break and by how much. Of the respondents, 33% were in favor of maintaining the six-week break, 35% preferred a reduction to five weeks, and 29% wanted it shortened to four weeks.
Policymakers have consistently called for alterations to the school schedule. In 2013, former education secretary Michael Gove pushed for changes, stating: “We cannot continue with an education system that is essentially based on 19th century practices.”
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During Gove’s tenure, free schools and academies were granted greater autonomy in determining their own schedules. However, those who implemented more unconventional timetables ultimately abandoned them due to resistance from parents and difficulties in aligning term dates with other schools.
The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton, stated that the concept of altering the duration of the summer break has been suggested for a long time and there are various opinions on the matter.
Some indications suggest that modifications may bring advantages for students and their parents, but other studies have not yielded definite results. It is crucial to thoroughly evaluate the effects of any changes and avoid making hasty decisions.
The report from the Nuffield Foundation highlights significant problems, such as the increasing mental health crisis and the gap between disadvantaged students and their peers. It is suggested that altering the school schedule may help improve these problems to some degree. However, it could also be a major distraction from more urgent concerns such as hiring and keeping teachers, providing for special needs students, and funding for education.
Source: theguardian.com
