Long school summer holidays have a question mark hanging over them. It seems those halcyon days are threatened by summer literacy schools, private tuition and government talks of changes to school holidays. But would kids miss them?
| When the summer holiday comes I’m usually really excited – but half way through, it gets really boring. |
Wesley Taylor, 13
When the summer holiday comes I'm usually really excited - but half way through, it gets really boring. There's nothing to do. There are no clubs nearby and no transport to get anywhere.
I would be in favour of shortening the summer holiday and adding an extra week at Christmas or another time of the year.
If not, they should organise sports, like biking and canoeing, where you learn different things which are not work orientated. I think if the school organised these things, a lot of parents would be prepared to pay for it.
Anna Bradshaw, 15
I have just finished my mock GCSE exams. They were one of the most stressful times of my life - I need a holiday.
There is enough for kids like me to do during school time without having to do school work in our holidays as well. What we need are more things to do out of school during the holiday. Things like sports clubs, activity weekends and anything to get us out and about, away from home.
"I find the summer holidays can be boring but it's better than going to school. At least in the holidays you have some choice about what you do and you don't have to get up early!
Shefina Coke, 13
The summer holidays are too long. We should have more time at Christmas. At the moment we only get just over a week for Christmas - there's not even a chance to buy Christmas presents.
Schools should take responsibility for offering more in the holidays. Last year I just watched television with my friends.
At our school we have kids who volunteer to help at our literacy summer school for two weeks in August. They really enjoyed it because they felt they were doing something worthwhile and weren't treated like kids. Schools should do more of it.
Sara Hawkins, 16
I don't think the Government needs to change the amount of holidays we get, they just need to change the times when we have them. We should have a longer summer holiday and there should be a lot more activities to keep us entertained and out of trouble during the holiday. There should be summer schools open to everyone, although people who have difficulties reading and general problems with learning should have the first place on the scheme.
There should also be more activities around the area for kids, and they should be cheaper. At the moment it costs 4 just to go swimming and then you have to pay for your bus fare as well. I don't have that kind of money.
Fiona Hanson, 13
"I think six weeks holiday in the summer is a little too long. It often gets boring and there's nowhere to go and nothing for us to do.
"But we should have a break between switching over from one school year to another. It's a big step and it's one we all have to face.
"The good side for the long holidays is you have much more time to prepare for the new school year; the bad is that you get bored and fed up of waiting.
"The good side of the shorter holidays is that we don't get bored and we also see lots more of friends; the bad is that we don't get enough time with our families because that's the only time most people get to meet up with their relatives."
About the article
This article appeared in the Sheffield Star.
