Cut length of school holidays , says Michael Gove

Cut length of school holidays, says Michael Gove


Schools should increase teaching hours and cut the length of traditional
holidays because the education system is being “handicapped” by a 19th century
timetable, Michael Gove warned today.








Michael Gove, the Education
Secretary, said the school day should be lengthed and holidays should be
cut. Photo: Eddie
Mulholland






By Graeme Paton, Education
Editor

3:04PM BST 18 Apr 2013

4 Comments




The Education Secretary said all schools should follow the example set in the
Far East where pupils are expected to follow a longer day and get less time off.



In a speech, he warned that the current shape of the academic year was
created to fit the needs of an agricultural economy, with pupils taking time off
in October to help gather the potato harvest.


The lack of time spent in the classroom is particularly damaging to children
from poor backgrounds, Mr Gove said.


Some of the Government’s flagship academies – state schools run independent
of local council controls – are using their independence to reform the school
day, he said.


Some open at 8.30am and expect children to remain until at least 4.30pm to
undertake sport, music and other extra-curricular activities, it emerged.




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Other schools such as David Young Community Academy in Leeds operate
four-week summer holidays amid fears children suffer an academic dip during the
traditional six-week break in July and August.

Mr Gove said that all schools should follow a similar model to enable the
nation to catch-up with education systems elsewhere in the world.

But the calls are likely to provoke anger among teaching unions who are
fiercely protective of the six-week summer break which they claim is vital to
allow staff to recharge their batteries.

Earlier this month, the National Union of Teachers actually called for a
shorter school day, with teachers spending no more than 20 hours a week in the
classroom.

But addressing the Spectator Education Conference in central London, Mr Gove
said a “higher level of effort is expected on behalf of students, parents and
teachers” in nations such as Hong Kong, Singapore and elsewhere in the Far East.


He insisted the Government was making changes to teachers' pay and working
conditions which meant they could be paid more for taking on extra duties,
allowing heads to organise their staff "in a way to get more out of young
people".

“The expectation is that to succeed, hard work is at the heart of
everything,” he said. “If you look at the length of the school day in England,
the length of the summer holiday – and we compare it to the extra tuition and
support that children are receiving elsewhere – then we are fighting or actually
running in this global race in a way that ensures that we start with a
significant handicap.”

The academic year is currently set over 190 days, with a six-week break at
summer, two weeks’ holiday at Easter and Christmas and week-long half-term
breaks in October, February and May.

Although the shape of the day differs school-by-school, many require children
to be in between 8.30am and 9am and finish between 3pm and 3.30pm.

But ARK Schools – one of the biggest chains of academies – operates an 8.30am
to 4.30pm timetable.

Mr Gove said: “The structure of the school term and the school day was
designed at a time when we had an agricultural economy.

“I remember half-term in October when I was at school in Aberdeen was called
the ‘tattie holiday’; the period when kids would go to the fields to pick
potatoes.

“It was also at a time when the majority of mums stayed home.

“That world no longer exists, and we can’t afford to have an education system
that was essentially, set in the 19th century.”
===============================
At last, a Minister prepared to overhaul the Education System and hopefully improve childrens abilities.

No, it's about forcing mothers back into the workplace. The teachers will be used as childcare which means people no longer need to employ childminders, and therefore don't need tax credits.

Iris wrote:No, it's about forcing mothers back into the workplace. The teachers will be used as childcare which means people no longer need to employ childminders, and therefore don't need tax credits.

How do you make that out Iris? There are less school hours and less school holidays so Mothers will save on Nursery Fees and the Children will hopefully
improve their Education and become less than 18th place.

Panda wrote:

Iris wrote:No, it's about forcing mothers back into the workplace. The teachers will be used as childcare which means people no longer need to employ childminders, and therefore don't need tax credits.

How do you make that out Iris? There are less school hours and less school holidays so Mothers will save on Nursery Fees and the Children will hopefully
improve their Education and become less than 18th place.

Less school holidays means not having to pay for childcare and after-school clubs during the holidays. And therefore not having to claim tax credits from the Government.

And what Mister Gove has so conveniently ignored that quite a large part of those "school holidays" is spent prepping for the new term. When will that be done?

Iris wrote:

Panda wrote:

Iris wrote:No, it's about forcing mothers back into the workplace. The teachers will be used as childcare which means people no longer need to employ childminders, and therefore don't need tax credits.

How do you make that out Iris? There are less school hours and less school holidays so Mothers will save on Nursery Fees and the Children will hopefully
improve their Education and become less than 18th place.

Less school holidays means not having to pay for childcare and after-school clubs during the holidays. And therefore not having to claim tax credits from the Government.

And what Mister Gove has so conveniently ignored that quite a large part of those "school holidays" is spent prepping for the new term. When will that be done?

He doesn't have a clue. My s-i-l is head of History at a large comprehensive. He regularly gets to the school by 7.30 and is there until 6pm. As you say, Iris, a good part of his holidays is spent prepping.

Naturally the NUT are up in arms about this suggestion , the NUT is very militant which is why Teachers are often prepared to join protest marches and
strike if necessary .
1. The national working week in Britain is 40 hrs. Teachers work 30 hrs.
2. The average Holiday entitlement in Britain is two weeks paid and about 1 week of Public holidays.
3. Teachers paid Holidays are about not far off 12 weeks a year
4. Teachers can take early retirement and enjoy 2 Pensions.
5. It is a fact that when Teachers return to work after a holiday more time is taken off for inset days .
Please explain to me and many others WHY Britain lags so far behind in Education when Teachers can hardly be seen to be hard done by in their
Profession . Is it the calibre of Teachers ? Is it the lack of the cane now to deter troublesome pupils.? Is it too much interference and change by the
Education dept. ?
When my Sons were in Infants and Junior School I was an active Member of the Parent Teachers Association as a way of getting involved in their education. One day I was trying to help my youngest with the Alphabet and discovered that instead of being taught ABC he was being taught aa bu ku. Children now have calculators so they don't need to remember their times table, computers so they don't have to be taught by a Teacher these are reasons they lag behind in Europe and leave school with such low grades.

Panda wrote:Naturally the NUT are up in arms about this suggestion , the NUT is very militant which is why Teachers are often prepared to join protest marches and
strike if necessary .
1. The national working week in Britain is 40 hrs. Teachers work 30 hrs.
2. The average Holiday entitlement in Britain is two weeks paid and about 1 week of Public holidays.
3. Teachers paid Holidays are about not far off 12 weeks a year
4. Teachers can take early retirement and enjoy 2 Pensions.
5. It is a fact that when Teachers return to work after a holiday more time is taken off for inset days .
Please explain to me and many others WHY Britain lags so far behind in Education when Teachers can hardly be seen to be hard done by in their
Profession . Is it the calibre of Teachers ? Is it the lack of the cane now to deter troublesome pupils.? Is it too much interference and change by the
Education dept. ?
When my Sons were in Infants and Junior School I was an active Member of the Parent Teachers Association as a way of getting involved in their education. One day I was trying to help my youngest with the Alphabet and discovered that instead of being taught ABC he was being taught aa bu ku. Children now have calculators so they don't need to remember their times table, computers so they don't have to be taught by a Teacher these are reasons they lag behind in Europe and leave school with such low grades.

Panda, where did you get that from? Teachers work 30 hours? Chance would be a good thing! They might be in the classroom for 30 hours, but that's not their working week. Most have to arrive at the school by around 8am and they don't leave after the last lesson of the day. Most will be there until at least 5pm. My daughter's partner is usually there until 6pm. Most evenings at home and for a good part of the weekend, there is preparation to do. So, the average working week is way over 40 hours.

Also, the standard full-time week for British workers is 37 and not 40.

I've only said what many parents think AnnaEsse and do not want to get into a brawl over it. It is also true that when Pupils are Painting or doing a written excercise Teachers have an hour or so to catch up on their own work. No excuse can be made for British children leaving school so uneducated . Only recently some Teachers mitched lessons to go to a colleagues Wedding.!!!!

Panda wrote:I've only said what many parents think AnnaEsse and do not want to get into a brawl over it. It is also true that when Pupils are Painting or doing a written excercise Teachers have an hour or so to catch up on their own work. No excuse can be made for British children leaving school so uneducated . Only recently some Teachers mitched lessons to go to a colleagues Wedding.!!!!

Panda, when Pupils are painting or doing a written excercise, most teachers are walking around the room giving advice.

AnnaEsse wrote:

Panda wrote:I've only said what many parents think AnnaEsse and do not want to get into a brawl over it. It is also true that when Pupils are Painting or doing a written excercise Teachers have an hour or so to catch up on their own work. No excuse can be made for British children leaving school so uneducated . Only recently some Teachers mitched lessons to go to a colleagues Wedding.!!!!

Panda, when Pupils are painting or doing a written excercise, most teachers are walking around the room giving advice.

Let's agree to differ on this topic, no one has yet come up with a valid reason why British Children come 18th in Europe in the standard of Education .
Take away calculators and Computers until Pupils can add, subtract and learn their timestable off by heart. No computers or spellchecks in schools until Pupils can read and write properly . No mobile phones allowed in school and left with the Form Teacher until they leave school for the day. That's a good start.

Panda wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

Panda wrote:I've only said what many parents think AnnaEsse and do not want to get into a brawl over it. It is also true that when Pupils are Painting or doing a written excercise Teachers have an hour or so to catch up on their own work. No excuse can be made for British children leaving school so uneducated . Only recently some Teachers mitched lessons to go to a colleagues Wedding.!!!!

Panda, when Pupils are painting or doing a written excercise, most teachers are walking around the room giving advice.

Let's agree to differ on this topic, no one has yet come up with a valid reason why British Children come 18th in Europe in the standard of Education .
Take away calculators and Computers until Pupils can add, subtract and learn their timestable off by heart. No computers or spellchecks in schools until Pupils can read and write properly . No mobile phones allowed in school and left with the Form Teacher until they leave school for the day. That's a good start.

Panda, teachers are not responsible for setting the curriculum.

My God Panda, where do you get all this tripe from? This is not the first time I have had to set you straight on the downright lies you post about teachers. What on earth is your problem?

Iris wrote:My God Panda, where do you get all this tripe from? This is not the first time I have had to set you straight on the downright lies you post about teachers. What on earth is your problem?

Don't you dare call me a Liar.!!!!
Check out the article I have just posted......Teachers agree to the Reforms.!!!

Panda wrote:

Iris wrote:My God Panda, where do you get all this tripe from? This is not the first time I have had to set you straight on the downright lies you post about teachers. What on earth is your problem?

Don't you dare call me a Liar.!!!!
Check out the article I have just posted......Teachers agree to the Reforms.!!!

Panda, teachers may be agreeing to the reforms, but that doesn't mean teachers work 30 hour weeks or sit and do their own work when pupils are painting etc.

@ Iris
Teachers caught at wedding after sending children home for "staff development"
Panda on Wed 7 Nov - 9:17




Teachers caught at wedding after sending children home for 'staff development'


Furious parents have called for an investigation after a school was closed for teachers to undergo vital training, only for them to be found celebrating at a colleague's wedding instead.








Kamal Hussain confronted headteacher Gillian Pursey at the wedding Photo: CAVENDISH PRESS/MEN SYNDICATION





By Hannah Furness

1:50PM GMT 06 Nov 2012





The teachers, who had sent children home from school an hour and a half early to allow them to train, were spotted enjoying a wedding party after a suspicious father tracked them down.


Kamal Hussain, a father-of-two, is now calling for a formal investigation into St Hilda¹s School, Oldham, after the headteacher claimed it was “all above board”.


Children at the primary school had been sent home at 2pm rather than their usual 3.30pm on Tuesday, October 30, due to vital staff development training.


Parents had received letters informing them of the change, which was said to allow teachers to research future lessons.


Instead, Mr Hussain claims, they travelled straight to a colleague’s wedding reception instead.

I think you owe me an apology.

Panda wrote:@ Iris
Teachers caught at wedding after sending children home for "staff development"
Panda on Wed 7 Nov - 9:17




Teachers caught at wedding after sending children home for 'staff development'


Furious parents have called for an investigation after a school was closed for teachers to undergo vital training, only for them to be found celebrating at a colleague's wedding instead.








Kamal Hussain confronted headteacher Gillian Pursey at the wedding Photo: CAVENDISH PRESS/MEN SYNDICATION





By Hannah Furness

1:50PM GMT 06 Nov 2012





The teachers, who had sent children home from school an hour and a half early to allow them to train, were spotted enjoying a wedding party after a suspicious father tracked them down.


Kamal Hussain, a father-of-two, is now calling for a formal investigation into St Hilda¹s School, Oldham, after the headteacher claimed it was “all above board”.


Children at the primary school had been sent home at 2pm rather than their usual 3.30pm on Tuesday, October 30, due to vital staff development training.


Parents had received letters informing them of the change, which was said to allow teachers to research future lessons.


Instead, Mr Hussain claims, they travelled straight to a colleague’s wedding reception instead.

I think you owe me an apology.

Panda, one example of teachers being caught out in a lie doesn't make everything else true. Teachers do not work 30 hour weeks.

Enough AnnaEsse, I said let's agree to differ.

Panda wrote:Enough AnnaEsse, I said let's agree to differ.

Now, Panda, this sounds like you want to post articles and make comments, but don't want any of us to respond. You have made statements about teachers, sought to make those true by posting an article about teachers agreeing to reforms and now don't want me, as a teacher, to respond?

AnnaEsse wrote:

Panda wrote:Enough AnnaEsse, I said let's agree to differ.

Now, Panda, this sounds like you want to post articles and make comments, but don't want any of us to respond. You have made statements about teachers, sought to make those true by posting an article about teachers agreeing to reforms and now don't want me, as a teacher, to respond?

All you have said so far is teachers work more than 30 hours a week, nothing about the standard of education , why British schoolchildren are 18th in Europe, that' Teachers may not be adequately trained , or agree that computors, etc should not be used until Pupils have learned the basics of maths, spelling etc.

I rest my case, don't bother replying I am going out now.

Panda wrote:

Iris wrote:My God Panda, where do you get all this tripe from? This is not the first time I have had to set you straight on the downright lies you post about teachers. What on earth is your problem?

Don't you dare call me a Liar.!!!!
Check out the article I have just posted......Teachers agree to the Reforms.!!!

Then don't post lies about teachers.

Panda wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

Panda wrote:Enough AnnaEsse, I said let's agree to differ.

Now, Panda, this sounds like you want to post articles and make comments, but don't want any of us to respond. You have made statements about teachers, sought to make those true by posting an article about teachers agreeing to reforms and now don't want me, as a teacher, to respond?

All you have said so far is teachers work more than 30 hours a week, nothing about the standard of education , why British schoolchildren are 18th in Europe, that' Teachers may not be adequately trained , or agree that computors, etc should not be used until Pupils have learned the basics of maths, spelling etc.

I rest my case, don't bother replying I am going out now.

Panda, I will choose when to reply. The most important thing I have said is that teachers are not responsible for the curriculum. Also, they are not responsible for the training of teachers.

I have also commented on those teachers who went to a wedding and on the fact that even when work (painting, writing) is set, teachers don't sit doing their own work.

There are a lot of things wrong with education in the UK, but teachers are not responsible for those things. They don't decide about whether pupils may use computers or calculators and they don't set the curriculum for any subject. I was fortunate enough to have had a good Scottish education that focused on the basics. The primary school I went to, in a very working-class area, still manages to send over 90% of pupils to secondary schools, having reached the required standard in literacy and numeracy, which is more than can be said of most English state primaries.

Panda wrote:@ Iris
Teachers caught at wedding after sending children home for "staff development"
Panda on Wed 7 Nov - 9:17




Teachers caught at wedding after sending children home for 'staff development'


Furious parents have called for an investigation after a school was closed for teachers to undergo vital training, only for them to be found celebrating at a colleague's wedding instead.








Kamal Hussain confronted headteacher Gillian Pursey at the wedding Photo: CAVENDISH PRESS/MEN SYNDICATION





By Hannah Furness

1:50PM GMT 06 Nov 2012





The teachers, who had sent children home from school an hour and a half early to allow them to train, were spotted enjoying a wedding party after a suspicious father tracked them down.


Kamal Hussain, a father-of-two, is now calling for a formal investigation into St Hilda¹s School, Oldham, after the headteacher claimed it was “all above board”.


Children at the primary school had been sent home at 2pm rather than their usual 3.30pm on Tuesday, October 30, due to vital staff development training.


Parents had received letters informing them of the change, which was said to allow teachers to research future lessons.


Instead, Mr Hussain claims, they travelled straight to a colleague’s wedding reception instead.

I think you owe me an apology.

Apology for what, a hysterical rant in the Daily Mail that's probably not even true... but even if it is, shows a pack of "rogue" teachers who stole a whole hour and a half? Crime of the Century or what!

Panda wrote:Enough AnnaEsse, I said let's agree to differ.

Sorry to disappoint you but it doesn't work like that. You can't forbid posters to reply to your posts and express their opinions.

This is just another example of a tory toff being completely out of touch with the real World.

Since my daughter became a teacher i have discovered how hard they actually work and deserve all the holidays they get.
She is a primary school teacher but still has to bring home a trolley load of work to mark.Pressure all the time to perform and reach targets when the inspectors come around and dealing with all the parents.

There is a lot wrong with the schools and education system in this country much of which has been caused by a succession of incompetent governments and we currently have seemingly a crazy rush for many to become academy's which is debatable and all about money for the Heads i think who now think of themselves as managers/ceo imo.

What quango has placed us 18th in Europe panda ? You seem to have a very low opinion of British children our education and work ethic,maybe you should go work for Boris who seems to be equally biased in his views.

Teachers have always been the least valued of all the professions.
nothing changes