More consultation should be held with parents on school term dates for the 2022/23 school year, according to the Isle of Wight Council’s scrutiny body.
The plan is to scrap the 2-week October half term and instead use the spare time at Christmas, giving staff and pupils time to recharge their batteries, as previously reported by Island Echo.
The decision to approve the 2022/23 school term dates will be made at the Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet on Thursday (15th July), after 2 rounds of consultation with headteachers and school executives. But the corporate scrutiny committee voted 5 to 2 to recommend further consultation – this time with parents and carers.
Speaking at the meeting yesterday, Councillor Matthew Price said previous consultations with parents had shown interest in an alternative week at some point in the school calendar when mainland schools are not on holiday. Cllr Price said some parents were unable to take time off in the school holidays or could not afford to do activities, so a week out of kilter would benefit many people.
He said:
“I do respect the view of the leadership of the school but some parents rely on that week as the only week they can have off in the whole year to spend time with their children and I think it would be totally unfair not to go out and consult on it.”
Cllrs Geoff Brodie and Michael Lilley voted against the proposal, saying headteachers know their parents best.
Cllr Lilley said even though he has empathy for what Cllr Price was suggesting he could not vote for it and they have to respect the decision headteachers have asked for, especially after they have led schools through COVID.
Cllr Debbie Andre, cabinet member for children’s education, said the strong message coming through to her from speaking with headteachers was the length of the Christmas holiday. She said:
“I have made my decision on what was the majority from the responses but let’s not forget our Island children are the priority so I also made my decision on what I would thought would be best for educational outcomes.”
Feedback from schools across the Island found 23 of 31 responses supported have a longer Christmas break and of those 23, 14 wanted to return to the same pattern used in most other local authorities with a 1-week October half term.
A response from 1 school who wanted to have the same holiday pattern as other areas said there has been no evidence to show the changes made to the Island’s holiday times had made any sort of benefit to children and adults. They said:
“The traditional pattern puts us in line with other local authorities and further lessens the difference between us and the rest of humanity.”
If cabinet approves the term dates on Thursday, here are dates for your diary from September 2022:
Autumn term: starts on Thursday 1st September and ends on Friday 16th December 16 (Half term from Monday 24th October to Friday 18th October)
Spring term: starts on Tuesday 3rd January 2023 and ends on Friday 31st March (Half term from Monday 13th February to Friday 17th February)
Summer term: starts on Monday 17th April and ends on Friday 21st July (Half term from Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June)
When are they going to catch up on the last yr my grandkids haven’t had extra hours tuition they’re all well behind they should be spending more time in school.
My children benifited from a cheaper sunshine break during October half term.
Like a lot of working parents we stuggle to take extra time off during the xmas break.Are they considering 3 weeks off instead of 2 during December? Will the extra week ne before of after the traditional break.Unless you can afford or want to go sking how excactly would this help cash stapped hard working parents afford to go away and spend quality time with thier kids?
I think school staff live in a isolated bubble and it is they that should join humanity
Thank god for that Matthew Price bloke! From what I read on here, he’s one of the few Councillors over here who isn’t carrying around an ego, and is keen to listen to the public.
Last year it was a godsend to go on an affordable holiday in October, we put off a summer holiday to do this.
Having time off in October with more daylight and warmer temperatures than December makes great sense for mental wellbeing.
And yet again, seems parents are not directly being asked. Thanks!
There is nothing much to do in October or December if you cannot afford to go away. December is already expensive enough! At least in the summer there are plenty of free activities for children, parks, beaches etc. An extra week in May would be better than October or December.
giving staff and pupils time to recharge their batteries,
FGS – what is the matter with these teachers – are they so weak that they cannot do a full year like the rest of us – we do not get six weeks off at summer – in the real world, the rest of us get 28 days leave a year and that is it.