School extends half term to respond to local needs

[Pritt Stick]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533095/School-85-pupils-Asian-gives-children-two-week-October-half-term-visit-Pakistan-families.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

 

Blackburn school extends half term (but recovers the lost days at a different time) to allow Pakistani families to travel to Pakistan when the weather is more conducive to visiting.

 

Probably a good thing in the short term but in the long run I think this is probably divisive and will lead to further segregation in schools. This school locally will become known as the Pk friendly school and people of Pakistani origin will try and get their kids in there while parents from other backgrounds will get get fewer places there. A two week half term will probably become a three week half term - attendees at this school will have their holidays at different times to other schools in the locality meaning they will mix less with other school kids and mix almost exclusively with their families and kids from the same school (who at present are 85% of Pk origin). The kids will become more and more socially isolated from the rest of society. A case of good intentions leading to further division in my opinion.

 

Good or bad - any thoughts?

[alchresearch]

My daughter's independent school has a two week October half term.

 

Schools also need to be flexible for parents, sounds like this is a good one that listens.

 

But the DM has only published it to stir up hatred.

[boyfriday]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533095/School-85-pupils-Asian-gives-children-two-week-October-half-term-visit-Pakistan-families.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

 

Blackburn school extends half term (but recovers the lost days at a different time) to allow Pakistani families to travel to Pakistan when the weather is more conducive to visiting.

 

Probably a good thing in the short term but in the long run I think this is probably divisive and will lead to further segregation in schools. This school locally will become known as the Pk friendly school and people of Pakistani origin will try and get their kids in there while parents from other backgrounds will get get fewer places there. A two week half term will probably become a three week half term - attendees at this school will have their holidays at different times to other schools in the locality meaning they will mix less with other school kids and mix almost exclusively with their families and kids from the same school (who at present are 85% of Pk origin). The kids will become more and more socially isolated from the rest of society. A case of good intentions leading to further division in my opinion.

 

Good or bad - any thoughts?

 

If the school's already 85% Pakistani origin then they're only serving the needs of their community and ensuring kids don't miss out on their education due to unauthorised absences in term time. Whether having such a high proportion of one ethnic group is a good or bad thing as far as integration goes is another issue but I dont think being flexible with holidays is relevant to that.

 

---------- Post added 03-01-2014 at 11:29 ----------

 

My daughter's independent school has a two week October half term.

 

Schools also need to be flexible for parents, sounds like this is a good one that listens.

 

But the DM has only published it to stir up hatred.

 

[Cyclone]

My daughter's independent school has a two week October half term.

 

Schools also need to be flexible for parents, sounds like this is a good one that listens.

 

But the DM has only published it to stir up hatred.

 

This is just about what I was going to say, although I would have had to search to find other schools that change their holidays to suit the parents.

[Pritt Stick]

I'm not going to comment on the DM's reasons for printing this but I'm very aware of their political colours, yes. We should also remember, though, that it was the DM that fought long and hard for justice for Stephen Lawrence.

 

I think in this case that two weeks will turn into three weeks (two weeks isn't really long enough to visit Pk) and the school will go from 85% Pakistani to 100% Pakistani. I stand by my original assertion that it is divisive in the long run while at the same time being both practical and responsive.

 

Ps - happy belated Xmas and New Year BF.

[alchresearch]

One of my local schools also has its October half term out of kilter with much of the rest of the country, allowing parents cheaper holidays.

[boyfriday]

 

Ps - happy belated Xmas and New Year BF.

 

..and to you too PS

[SevenRivers]

Good idea.

 

Gove wants schools to have greater flexibility over school holidays.

[medusa]

My niece and nephew's school area has a two week half term in May but usually only a week off at Easter. It's not as unique as the DM appear to think that it is.

[L00b]

I'd hold it as a generally good initiative, for this reason:

One of my local schools also has its October half term out of kilter with much of the rest of the country, allowing parents cheaper holidays.

By way of comparison/analogy, primary and secondary schools throughout France have long been grouped into three main regions (North, South, Paris) with holiday terms offset relative to one another except for the Xmas and Summer breaks, for just that reason.

 

Admittedly, when this was originally set up (60s IIRC, before the days of overseas/package hols), it was to avoid overcrowding the French resorts (ski/beach) all at once. Or so I'm told.