There’s no getting away from it: Family holidays versus school term times has been an issue testing the patience of parents and schools. How do you balance school schedules with the need for families to book time away without breaking the bank?
This morning I appeared on Sky News along with a Tom Bewick from Brighton and Hove City Council about that council’s move to address the problem. They are considering moving a week of summer holiday time to earlier in the year so parents could take advantage of cheaper rates from the travel industry.
Is this a good idea?
My take? It’s great to see a council responding to parents and the way we live now.
We all know the incredible benefits that travel provides to children and families. It expands our minds and our horizons. We know the importance of being able to visit extended family who might be scattered around the country or the globe. Plus, not all of us have the kind of jobs where we can dictate our time off to coincide with school breaks.
On Sky News, presenters Stephen Dixon, Samantha Simmonds and Jacquie Beltrao pointed out that rescheduled term times could simply result in the travel industry jacking up prices at an additional time of the year.
Sure, while high season getaways can scoop out loads of cash from your wallet, I’ve talked to enough owners of hotels, resorts, cafes, attractions and more to know that many rely on the demand-led prices at busy times to carry them through the lean off-season months. Without high-season rates, we would have a lot fewer groovy B&Bs, unique local restaurants or luxury resorts with platinum-quality service.
That doesn’t excuse the unscrupulous players in the industry just looking to gouge travellers (at any time!). But by spreading the demand throughout the year, schools can help make the family holiday away more manageable and affordable for a lot of families.
What do you think? Would you like to see a similar measure taken up by your local school?
About Jennifer Howze
Jennifer Howze is the Creative Director and co-founder of BritMums. She blogs about family travel at Jenography.net, tweets at @JHowze and Instagrams at @JHowze. Previously, she wrote the Alpha Mummy blog at The Times and as a journalist has contributed to The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Budget Travel, CNN.com, Allure, SELF and Premiere, among others. She won The Maggie Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for a health article in Seventeen magazine.
LoveFamilyHolidays
Monday 21st of March 2016
There was once school who had grouped all their inset days into one random week, I think that's a great possible solution!
Jennifer Howze
Monday 21st of March 2016
That's a novel idea! It does raise the question of what inset days are actually for.
Coombe Mill - Fiona
Tuesday 12th of January 2016
Moving a week from the summer only works if schools don't choose the same week, otherwise you just create another half term with the same high summer pricing. May half term is already my busiest week of the year filling almost immediately, creating a second week like this is of no benefit to anyone, however if different regions choose different weeks both holiday providers and holiday makers would benefit. Of course there would then be the problem of families straggled between areas with children off on different weeks so you can never please everyone, I'm sure this is an issue that will rumble on. For what it's worth I'd go back to the old system of letting families take children below GCSE level out for up to a week a year for an annual holiday if their parents choose. We certainly still do with our children and their education isn't compromised, though Cornwall Council is now in the limelight for allowing so many families in farming and tourism to do this.
Jac
Friday 8th of January 2016
Think this is a brilliant idea. Any move that reduces costs and enables more people with children to have holidays, spend time together in new places and make memories fabulous. It's all so random whether you can take children out of school early. I
JuggleMum, Nadine Hill
Thursday 7th of January 2016
Well done on being on Sky News Jen!
I would welcome a move by my local council to move one of the summer weeks to earlier in the year. Personally I find that 6-7 weeks is just a touch too long for my kids - we all love a month off together but they get restless and keen for their routine towards the end, so not only would a move to earlier in the year help with family travel and more affordable holiday options, it would also help me out with that!
But on a travel related note - surely spreading out the holidays of families would be beneficial to the businesses like shops and cafes that rely on the tourist trade, giving them more consistency all year round?