The Student Room Group

Michael Gove Says School Holidays Are Too Long

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20
Hmmmm. It looks like i'm alone on this view, but in USA (or at least the people i've spoken to) they get up really early and get to school for 7:30, then leave at 2pm. I'd prefer this so much, when I get up early and i've had enough sleep, I feel really productive because i'm up earlier than most people. This also gives a lot more free time in the afternoon/evening, which is great, especially in the summer.
Reply 21
Original post by scillage
Hmmmm. It looks like i'm alone on this view, but in USA (or at least the people i've spoken to) they get up really early and get to school for 7:30, then leave at 2pm. I'd prefer this so much, when I get up early and i've had enough sleep, I feel really productive because i'm up earlier than most people. This also gives a lot more free time in the afternoon/evening, which is great, especially in the summer.


Perhaps we should have different schools for morning and afternoon people! :biggrin:
Reply 22
His plans are based on a reactionary and not visionary viewpoint.
Reply 23
Original post by ajh1990
I'm by no means an educational expert, but am I missing something? Or is my area the exception?

The academies established in my home town have turned failing schools in outdated buildings into brand new state of the art schools, and standards have gone through the roof. There has never, in my life time, been such a huge investment in education, particularly when you place it in the economic context.


Okay maybe "crappy" was harsh :wink: but I was speaking more of the idea of them rather than their quality
Well, it is a bit antiquated seeing as it was only that long originally so the kids could help with the harvest at home.
Reply 25
Original post by techno836
I agree with extra time in bed ;D .... and summer holidays are especially long!

I 've heard how some schools have 2 weeks off every term/half term and have just 3 weeks for summer, not sure how true it is though :smile:


Yes, it is true. I know of someone who attends a primary school like that. It's a good sentiment, and it means that families can take holidays abroad when it's cheaper by avoiding the peak summer period but also avoiding removing their child from school.
Reply 26
Original post by physicso
I think he's a ****ing idiot that needs to be ended.

Lets look at his decision to axe january exams. Let me make this clear, this decision does not affect me, but still, i think it's ****ing moronic.

Firstly, even if A levels have become easier, they have becoming universally easier, so everyone is still on the same playing field as they were when they were harder in the past, we are having no problem producing highly skilled graduates - in fact we are producing more than we ever had. All this ridiculous policy is going to do is massively increase stress on the poor people who have 20+ Alevel exams in the summer.

If thats not enough, learning via linear exams has never been proven to actually increase intelligence. ****ing idiot.


(Im an AS student btw) Disagree with the stress (from my pov) I have 8 exams this year taking 4 AS subjects (maths bio chem music) and I have seen nobody having more than 12... Unless you do 5, then having 15 is a stretch if you have 5 exam heavy subjects (unlikely). Retakes not counting in this - why should the people who did rubbish due to no work/revision be allowed to retake? Obviously those in exceptional circumstances should be allowed exceptions. But I see that this would be impossible to monitor student's home lives (legally).
Reply 27
Maybe they should take a week or two from elsewhere and put them on to the Christmas holiday. Going to school in the freezing cold and leaving when it was almost dark sucked, especially if you lived quite far away. Plus it's two more weeks that schools wouldn't have to deal with snow and potential "snow days"

I wouldn't care if they scrapped half-terms, they serve no purpose. You don't have them once you're at university, and I know a lot of other countries don't have them.
Reply 28
Confused about how Michael Gove is supposed to be leading education in this country. He's never taught, and his strategies sound like they're something my grandad would say after reading the Daily Mail. Stuff like "make exams harder" and "get those whippersnappers to stay in school all summer, that'll teach 'em".

I'm glad he won't be making the decisions by the time I get round to teaching (2015, hopefully).
Original post by Chlorophile
Gove is driven by his old-fashioned ideology of what education should be


Not in this case. If schools don't have long summer holidays how are you ever going to get the harvest in?
Reply 30
Original post by SpiggyTopes
Perhaps we should have different schools for morning and afternoon people! :biggrin:


I know you were joking, but a few schools do this :smile:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2009/mar/20/lie-in-pupils
Original post by H0ls
Yes, it is true. I know of someone who attends a primary school like that. It's a good sentiment, and it means that families can take holidays abroad when it's cheaper by avoiding the peak summer period but also avoiding removing their child from school.


yeah I would like it like that because summer seems WAYYYY too long.
Original post by Dalilsp
(Im an AS student btw) Disagree with the stress (from my pov) I have 8 exams this year taking 4 AS subjects (maths bio chem music) and I have seen nobody having more than 12... Unless you do 5, then having 15 is a stretch if you have 5 exam heavy subjects (unlikely). Retakes not counting in this - why should the people who did rubbish due to no work/revision be allowed to retake? Obviously those in exceptional circumstances should be allowed exceptions. But I see that this would be impossible to monitor student's home lives (legally).


So the only way you can do badly is through lack of revision? I revised like mad for my 11 exams and I wasn't happy with my grades because I was so stressed out. With a couple of retakes in January and extra help from teachers I'm now up to grades that I'm happy with and on for getting AAB. Do I not deserve my grades?

On the subject of the thread, I get quite long school holidays because I go to school from 8.40am to 5.00pm. I don't think it's that long as soon as you get used to it. :smile:
Sometimes I wish we could finish earlier especially when it's summer, but at least this way I can guarantee that I'm working a decent amount! :tongue: I'd be worried that I'd come home and just relax until bedtime :lol:
Reply 35
Making college/school/academic days longer is just stupid. Already, I am leaving my house at 0700, and will arrive home again at about 1730. When it comes to mid-October to about mid-March, this means there are very limited/no daylight hours before or after college. The sun usually rose after I had arrived. To make the days longer would be absolutely outrageous! Currently, the only time I have sunlight at home during the week is the first half-term of college, and just a bit more than the last term of college. F--- you, Mr Gove (the Right Honourable, my arse).
I think the length of the school day is just fine how it is. I would change the holidays though, I think it should be four weeks in the summer instead of six, but three weeks for Christmas and three weeks for Easter to compensate for it.
This is the one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard. I definitely need the summer holiday because it is a nice time to not worry about exams, homework, etc, So I have a nice gap before resuming work. 10 hours of school a day is far too much imo, I don't think that majority of children have that sort of concentration.

More school hours =/= better education

Take Finland for example, the day is only about 4 hours long with 1 hour or less of homework.
Reply 38
Original post by Cll_ws
Maybe they should take a week or two from elsewhere and put them on to the Christmas holiday. Going to school in the freezing cold and leaving when it was almost dark sucked, especially if you lived quite far away. Plus it's two more weeks that schools wouldn't have to deal with snow and potential "snow days"

I wouldn't care if they scrapped half-terms, they serve no purpose. You don't have them once you're at university, and I know a lot of other countries don't have them.


Actually that's a great idea, means we have more time to play with our Christmas presents :woo:
Original post by Tahooper
Actually that's a great idea, means we have more time to play with our Christmas presents :woo:


Yes, but isn't the weather worse? I prefer longer in the summer months when the weather is decent-ish(Although some years it is pretty ****).

Quick Reply

Latest