Do different regions in the UK have different school holidays?
Posted by johnqadamsin28@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 23 comments
So in LA and Glendale the schools typically have April 24th off every day due to the Armenian genocide and the high population of Armenian Americans. The same goes for school in Hollywood for rosh Hashanah
Warm-Marsupial8912@reddit
They do, but just because different authorities choose different starting and ending dates of term. Not because there are different days of national significance.
johnqadamsin28@reddit (OP)
Oh that's interesting. I guess in the US when you have a large percentage of the community from one subgroup it's offensive not to celebrate them
SomeHSomeE@reddit
They're talking about long vacation breaks not specific days off like you are (holiday has a different meaning in UK and is closer to US 'vacation')
BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit
Yes and no.
The variations were sometimes occupational and, ultimately, cultures were shaped around that…
“Wakes weeks” for example were largely industrial breaks in the north and the midlands and localities had various fairs and festivities that were originally centred around religious days… Everything was essentially shut down because the entire infrastructure was centred around the occupation.
This isn’t to say they were the only parts of the country having breaks, but on a certain level there was cultural variation by region.
CoffeeIgnoramus@reddit
And to add to this, the variation in dates is minimal as they tend to be centred around national holidays too and specific times.
*although each country within the UK has differences.
SomeHSomeE@reddit
OP is American and is using 'holiday' in that way: a day off to mark a specific event. They're not talking about half term, Easter holidays, summer holidays, etc.
OP:
Within each nation of the UK there are an official set of holidays. In England there are 8: New Years day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, early May bank holiday (first Mon in May), late May bank holiday (last Mon in May), Summer bank Holiday (last Monday in August), Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (day after Xmas).
All schools are closed on these days (some like Christmas and Easter coincide with longer vacation periods so they'd be shut anyway). I am not aware of any regions departing from the set holidays within their constituent UK nation. Some schools may also shut for a day for teacher training days.
For Brits we use holiday to mean long breaks and vacation. For schools in England these are typically
Start school early Sept
1 week 'half term' holiday late Oct/early Nov
2 weeks Christmas holiday
1 week 'half term' in Feb/March
2 week Easter holiday
1 week half term in May/June
6 week summer holiday
This is the typical English timetable although some schools and some regions within England may do it slightly differently. The exact dates for Xmas and Easter hols can vary by a day or two, and half term weeks can be completely different weeks between schools.
I don't know enough about the Scottish, Welsh, or N.Irish systems to say anything about those.
buy_me_a_pint@reddit
I remember when I was in school in the 90s different holiday dates across the country/region
peppermint_aero@reddit
You might be interested to know that in periods where Ramadan falls in the major exam period (May/June), there's often discussion about moving the exams to make it easier. I don't know if it actually happens.
Individual minority ethnic holidays tend not to be formally recognised in the school calendars apart from that, unless you go to a faith school (there are a few Jewish and Muslim schools, and I believe one or two Hindu and Sikh schools). In some areas with large populations of particular minority groups, teachers/schools plan for lots of absences on those particular days and adjust teaching accordingly. Kids just take those days away from school if the family wants them to. No idea whether the local authority authorises the absence.
imperfect_and_tense@reddit
Ramadan is Feb/March.
peppermint_aero@reddit
This year, yes. It moves through the calendar. Every year it's a little earlier. So a few years ago it was mid-summer.
Icy_Mixture1482@reddit
Yes it varies by county. Counties generally set their own school holidays.
That’s for England. Not sure about Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
johnqadamsin28@reddit (OP)
Are they usually based on the students ethnic backgrounds?
a-liquid-sky@reddit
No.
johnqadamsin28@reddit (OP)
Really? What happens if you have a large majority of the town that celebrate a particular Holiday? It seems inefficient to have them come to school when you have the chance a large percentage will be absent to celebrate it
AussieManc@reddit
They won’t be allowed to take it off
peppermint_aero@reddit
Not true. They can't be forced to come in. The school plans round the absence if it's a large number of kids, otherwise the kids just catch up when they return to school.
a-liquid-sky@reddit
Allowances are made for religious festivals (eg. Eid), but the rest of the students would be in school.
ActionBirbie@reddit
No, Balkinisation like this is generally considered a bad thing in the developed world.
johnqadamsin28@reddit (OP)
Really? I mean when you have a town with 30-40 percent Armenian you're going to have a lot of absences during Armenian remembrance day so why not make it official
Icy_Mixture1482@reddit
I can see why you asked from your initial question.
No, typically not. However, the four countries have different public holidays. These apply to everyone, not just school students. In Scotland, they have an extra New Year’s holiday on Jan 2 and St Andrew’s Day (their national day). I believe that is November 30.
Northern Ireland has St Patrick’s Day and Battle of the Boyne Day (Jul 12).
England and Wales share the same holidays IIRC correctly.
England, Wales and Nothern Ireland have Easter Monday off, while Scotland doesn’t.
And sometimes extra public holidays are added. I see Scotland is getting a “Football World Cup” holiday this year.
Mostly though, they’re added for royal stuff: weddings, funerals, coronations, and jubilees (anniversaries of the King being on the throne; usually silver after 25 years, gold at 50 years, and platinum and diamond but I forget exactly how long they’re for).
partywithanf@reddit
In Scotland it varies. Around half of Scotland has two weeks in October, and the other half gets one. Then they have more time elsewhere.
The numbers are always the same but the dates aren’t.
Sometimes just varies council-by-council. Some had their Easter fortnight at different times this year.
Summer changes too, it’s six weeks, unless you get a seventh week that rotates round the councils. I don’t know why.
PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit
The two week breaks are known as the 'tattie holidays' in many parts of Scotland, as historically the children were taken out of school to go harvest spuds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattie_holidays
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