[Cherie]

England's schoolchildren should have shorter holidays and spend more time in the classroom, Michael Gove has declared.

The Education Secretary called for longer school days and term times, warning that the current system is out of date and fit for the agricultural economy of the 19th century.

Mr Gove said pupils are at a "significant handicap" compared to youngsters in East Asian nations, who benefit from extra tuition and support from teachers.


I don't think he is talking about reallocating the existing number of holidays, but actually taking some away or am I reading that wrong. Hopefully this will go the same way as his proposed re-introduction of O Levels...down the pan. I don't mind rejigging what we got, but I don't want to lose any.

[Nedusa]

I think the current system is OK , schoolchildren are already pushed to study far harder than I ever was, what with after school clubs, homework clubs, Saturday school, out of term tuition, pre exam tuition etc.. I think there are already enough demands on them without having to formally reduce the amount of out of term time they have.

Also teachers need this time to prepare lesson plans, study plans, exam practice etc... It's not as if the teachers are any less busy out of term time. I see no gain in forcing pupils to sit in classrooms for even longer.

If the govt is worried about the length of the summer break inasmuch as it allows large numbers of bored children to roam the streets then maybe summer camps like they have in the US could be the answer, two weeks away would be fine and it would give the parents a break as well....!!!

[Vicky.]

Hes also on about introducing (or has already introduced ) 'performance related pay' for teachers. which I think is wildly unfair. It is not a teachers fault if they get a kids thats just unwilling to learn. And there are plenty of those around. If the school happens to be in a bad area, the teacher will get their pay docked through no fault of their own. They could be the best teacher in the world, but with a class with half the kids being ignorant twats...they are still going to fail.

Performance related pay for MPs sounds a better idea

[Jack_]

https://twitter.com/dmreporter/statu...76418407436288

[Roy Mars III]

people in China go to school seven days a week for ten hours a day. This is why they are #1

[Livia]

I can't see the teachers giving up their three months+ of holidays every year, not without a fight.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Livia

I can't see the teachers giving up their three months+ of holidays every year, not without a fight.

Would be fun to see the unions fighting it though..trying to make out that shorter holidays will be detrimental to the childrens education

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Would be fun to see the unions fighting it though..trying to make out that shorter holidays will be detrimental to the childrens education

I know! I just emailed my friend who's a primary teacher. She lives about 80 miles from me, and if I'm very, very quiet... I think I can hear her screaming.