Major change to October half-term school holiday sparks fury

Major change to October half-term school holiday sparks fury among thousands of parents

• The Unity Schools Partnership is adding five days to the October half-term
• A petition has been launched to push the USP to do a U-turn and drop the idea, which will affect 14,000 pupils

A major change to the October half-term school holiday has sparked fury among thousands of parents.

A petition has been launched by those who say it will cost them more because their children will be given an extra week’s holiday during autumn break this year.

The Unity Schools Partnership (USP), which is in charge of 32 schools in Suffolk and one in Essex, is adding five days to the October half-term, so that it runs from October 23 to November 3, while extending the school day by 10 minutes.  

The petition aims to push the USP, which runs primary, secondary, middle and special schools, to do a U-turn and drop the pilot scheme affecting 14,000 pupils. 

The angry parents claim their children have already missed a great deal of schooling due to the coronavirus pandemic and teachers’ strikes.

Pictured: Classroom (file photo). A petition has been launched by those who say it will cost them more because their children will be given an extra week’s holiday during autumn break this year

They say the change also means they will need to find the money for child sitters or lose pay if they have to take time off work.

A USP spokesman said they believe the idea will ‘impact positively on the physical, emotional and mental health of our staff and pupils’.

The group hopes it will ‘decrease absence rates during the autumn term, as families will be able to take more affordable holidays’.

However, critics argue that if the idea is taken up across the UK, travel firms and airlines will simply raise their prices for the added days.

Having held a consultation with parents and carers, which finished in mid-March, USP chief executive Tim Coulson said there were more than 2,300 responses, with ‘a majority amongst both staff and parents in favour of the proposals’.

Some of those involved in the petition said a straw poll of 500 Haverhill parents showed that 82 per cent disagreed with the changes.

Stephen Husband, who started the petition, has children at a Haverhill primary school and younger children in nursery.

He said that the later finish will ‘have a roll-on effect to nursery’, so that he will have to pay for an extra 30 minutes per day – another £1,700 per year.

Mr Husband said: ‘The reasons they have given are patronising, condescending and out of touch with the reality of the current climate.

‘This will severely impact the everyday parent who will not have enough time off from work to cover this extra week off, let alone afford to book a holiday for the whole family two months before Christmas.

‘Unity are adamant that a trial is needed. We do not need a trial to see that this will be a huge financial and mental burden on families.’

Pictured: Children at school (file photo). The petition aims to push the USP, which runs primary, secondary, middle and special schools, to do a U-turn and drop the pilot scheme, which will affect 14,000 pupils

Diana André said the proposals are ‘a nightmare’ as she has a teenager at Castle Manor and runs a pre-school in Haverhill. 

She added that many of her staff are parents in the same boat.

Mrs André said: ‘I fail to see how the Trust is listening or supporting working families with this proposal.

‘At the pre-school, we are not in the same position to be able to close for an extra week in October.

‘This leaves a problem for our staff team who will now have to find and pay for a week of childcare.’

Mrs André added that in her consultation response, she pointed out that the coronavirus pandemic ‘taught us that children often learn best in school’.

She said: ‘Many children are still catching up. Ten minutes added on to the day will not make up for a week at home.’

Another working parent, Emma Rogers, is worried that, from July to January, children will now have 10 weeks off school.

She said: ‘This places a financial burden on an already strained situation for families in relation to childcare.

‘Lots of children are still suffering the effects of lost education over the pandemic too.’

Fae Church also fears how much school her daughter would be miss if the idea takes off.

Mrs Church said: ‘She has already missed almost two weeks of school this year due to strike days, inset days and school closures due to weather or site maintenance.

‘To then propose that they need an extra week off is just infuriating.

‘Unity School Partnership has clearly made their own decision on the proposal and the supposed benefits of the scheme are condescending.’

On social media, Chris Canham wrote: ‘The behaviour and attitudes of the teachers nowadays leaves a lot to be desired.

‘I am wondering what kind of examples this is setting on the children they are supposed to be teaching and mentoring.’ 

Jo Smith replied: ‘Well, parents were consulted and personally I’m in favour of it, as are lots of the parents at my child’s school.

‘You’re never going to please everyone and it’s only a pilot at the moment.’

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