There is a call from some, including the former head of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw, arguing that a catch-up period for children lends itself to a five-term academic year with shorter school summer holidays. This would represent an entirely foolish move and deprive children of the time to explore and experiment.
I distinctly remember as a boy of nine documenting and drawing wild butterflies during my summer holidays. Each one had a watercolour sketch, clearly labelled and indexed. It was something the poor overworked teachers did not have time to fit into an already busy curriculum. By the time I reached thirteen it was motorcycle engines, and the best gasket to fit for the exhaust to produce the greatest noise.
I was not from a privileged background, where school summer holidays abroad were the norm. I just found that time to explore and experiment. Children need this time. Some get odd jobs at the local shop, creating those bonds that stay with them for life.
We must not take this away from children with a shorter break. Perhaps discussion around the summer holidays is pertinent, but as educationalists we should support our children to use this time purposefully. A shorter break can help re-charge the batteries, whereas a longer summer holiday affords the opportunity for deeper research. A chance for parents to connect with their children, abroad or at home.
“To invest in our teachers will surely have the greatest impact, rather than simply restructuring school calendars?”
In the Michaelmas term we have already introduced a two-week break, giving pupils time in the longest and darkest of terms. We should not go further and split into five terms. There is an argument that highlights learning loss for some children, but I would argue the exact opposite – this is an opportunity for a learning gain.
The Government’s education recovery commissioner Kevan Collins has suggested that this would make up for lost time, but that is unfounded. Investment should be made into upskilling teachers and building the status of the profession to increase the number of high quality individuals coming into it. To invest in our teachers will surely have the greatest impact, rather than simply restructuring school calendars?
This is not something that just has ties back to an agricultural calendar of years past. It has a direct bearing on modern education. GCSE and ‘A’ level exams take place in the summer term. Quite rightly, a time for pupils to aim for their best, after which it is clearly a period of reflection and learning. This nonsense about pupils forgetting skills that is aired in some quarters is laughable. It is not about the sun-drenched summer of ’76. It goes much deeper than this.
Teachers too need a time to reflect and re-energise. Syllabi are re-written and new initiatives adapted. Having experienced this for over 30 years, I know it works. I was a huge advocate of the two-week break in the first term. The longer summer break is, however, essential.
This HAS been a strange year, accepted, but let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater.