The Welsh Government suggests a five-week shortened summer holiday from the usual six weeks to help evenly distribute term times
The holidays will remain the same throughout the year, but the government aims to achieve a more even distribution of school term lengths. If accepted, these adjustments will be implemented starting September 2025.
Why is the Welsh Government changing the holidays?
The current school calendar means that the autumn term is longer than others; studies suggest that this term is demanding and exhausting for students and staff due to the increased amount of teaching squeezed into this term compared to others.
Certain students, particularly those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional learning needs (ALN), struggle when returning to academic activities after a long summer break.
Due to the long summer break, the autumn term focuses on dedicating time to reviewing things rather than progressing with new learning. Teachers also found increased behavioural and well-being issues in students following the summer break.
What would the new break mean?
In the proposed changes, a week would be deducted from the initial part of the summer break and allocated back to the October break. This adjustment will provide staff and students additional rest during the lengthy autumn term.
While teachers and pupils will still benefit from the allocated 13-week holiday per year, the distribution will be adjusted for maximum benefit to the learning process. As the changes will take effect in September 2025, in October 2025, there will be a two-week holiday and a five-week summer break in 2026.
The Welsh Government reported that Jason Elsom, the Chief Executive of Parentkind, said, ” Our recent poll of 6,800 parents in Wales revealed that the majority of parents support a move to spread school holidays more evenly across the year, with 72% of lower income families in favour.
“It is fair to say that the current concentration of school holidays in the summer months results in inflated childcare and family holiday costs, compounding the challenges faced during the cost-of-living crisis.”
“It is fair to say that the current concentration of school holidays in the summer months results in inflated childcare and family holiday costs”
Future implications
Future changes will also be investigated, although these adjustments will only occur after 2025. This may include taking a second week from the summer holiday and transferring it to the Whitsun half-term.
This would help make terms similar lengths and make the summer term more consistent, helping students learn and teachers plan.
The two-week proposal looks at establishing a fixed two-week break coinciding with Easter, which varies yearly. Schools would remain closed on Easter Monday and Good Friday, even if they fall outside of the allocated holiday.
These potential changes in the school year are part of a collaborative effort between the Labour government and Plaid Cymru.
