Open letter to the DFE

School year structure and childhood wellness

The school year structure is OUTDATED, UNFIT for purpose and ARCHAIC.

We have been living in the construction of this school year now for centuries, without any consideration of how we live as a culture now. All talk of modernisation ends when it comes to education. We remain in a structural method that relied on all mothers being in the home and the children helping on the farms. This is not how people live now.

Below, I lay out my observations of how this structure of the school year impacts my family, my community and the wider number of parents I see online. After 22 years of working in education and growing up in a family of educators, this knowledge is vast and varied. My four children are in school and I also witness the home education community in my area through friends.

I will detail the impact of the school year structure on the MODERN child. Who live in a different time to the creation of the original system. This is highlight to you, how the current structure is detrimental to both parents and children. The side of the teachers will be discussed, along with the provision of out of school childcare for ‘working’ families.

Wellness

As human beings we are not machines, we have needs and individual considerations that allow us to function at our optimum capacity. Although there are unique aspects that we need, there are also collective experiences that are universal for all mammals, human or otherwise.

We are cyclical beings, we live within nature and we are part of a wider ecosystem than what ‘man’ has created. The cycle of the year in this part of the world is 4 seasons, very distinct and obvious. The children learn about these in their schools. What they don’t learn and what the school year structure shows, is that most people are unaware of what is craved and desired for high functionality in each season.

In winter we have our longest and most gruelling term at school. As we move from Autumn to Winter we often have 15 weeks of school with a small week break to regroup and get right back to it. The winter holiday comes after a barrage of money making PTA activites (fetes, discos etc) and school plays, shows and nativities. The children then enter a holiday that is not about deep rest and hibernation but about sugar consumption and excitement. The return in January is arduous and not conducive to our natural pattern as humans to reflect and go inwards (both physically and metaphorically). This creates a cycle of ‘making it through’ to the two week break and many people being unwell – ask any teacher about illness in their holidays. This idea that we need to slog it out is not how people want to live now.

The spring term, although always the one where children accelerate in progress is short and over before it’s started. This term is one where we have an opportunity to rest, we have lots of bank holidays, a long Easter break and time to be together as a family. And this is reflected in the children’s learning.

The summer term is intense. We are sold the idea that the holidays of 6 weeks are in summer. This is absolutely not true. They are designed around the harvest. They were created when children were out on the fields to help work. The summer weather happens from June -July, weather patterns and temperatures prove this. By the time August rolls around we are often entering the back part of the summer, where the damage of working through intense heat is already done. In the south east particularly we experience many days of 30 degrees plus. No adaptations are made for this within the structure of the year. At a time where children should be resting under the shade of a tree, exploring their local coastline, woodlands and other environments, they are stuck in classrooms with little ventilation that are too small.

We are not honouring the land and island on which we live at all, how can we expect our children to be aware and conscious of their impact on environments when our lives are in no way set to do so. As we make our way through another summer, I write this to you as we come off the back of two 30 degree heat sports days and numerous school events that have pushed the safety of childcare to it’s limit. In buildings that are designed for the temperate weather of the UK and not the extremes that we now live in. It’s not a heatwave, the extreme is that we have been sold the lie that summer is in August as that is what used to work from a harvesting perspective. British summertime is from May day to the beginning of August where the sun has it’s most strength and we get to enjoy very little of it as families as we spend it powering through and not taking the time to do what is needed as mammals. Fun, play and nature.

Logistics

How the school year is set up does not work for parents unless those parents are teachers. For everyone else they are a logistical minefield. For mothers they are isolating, for working parents they are expensive. The only people they benefit are holiday companies who are allowed to exploit families.

6 weeks at home without structure is too long for mothers and children. I say mothers as in my experience and the people around me, it is the mothers who book the activities and set up the children’s schedules. If they aren’t doing that they are at home with their children for a lengthy amount of time. For some families, this can be financially crippling as all summer holiday activities are again, exploited by companies and packed. The mental load of mothering is not considered by the structures we live within and my letter on this topic will follow.

Should the 16 weeks holiday be more evenly spaced throughout the year, not only would it be better for parents, it would be better for the children’s learning and progress. It would allow for more consistency on all fronts. This is not a letter centred around specifics like SEND or safeguarding but around the collective and most common. When we view what would work best as an overview, the long 6 weeks and lack of break in the winter is not working.

When the holiday planning was set up, it was a different way of life. We are not adjusting to how we want to live now and how most people live now.

Historical weather patterns

The data shows that weather is the hottest in June and July. This is when we need to break. Along with more regular breaks rather than super long terms that feel never ending. There is no slog needed, we can make this a more harmonious experience.

When we work with nature and the data, we can create a system that is pleasurable. It would reduce the impact on children that leads to illness, burnout and exhaustion. The same with teachers, we only have to review the data on teachers who leave the profession through stress. Waiting all year for one 6 week break is not going to solve that problem. There is a better way to manage our time that can be the key to job and educational energy satisfaction.

Seasonal impact

After the harvest time of August to November is the deep winter. During the period November to March, the weather is at it’s coldest and we have less sun strength. Through this time, in the current climate, we make no consideration of this. In fact, we make our schedules busier or continue as usual. You can see from the NHS advice that the policy makers are aware of the need to be outdoors, get vitamin D and exercise. When children are inside a building during the only daylight hours at the time, how are we expected to follow what is needed?

How we move forward from here can be with each season in mind, it can incorporate the BIOLOGICAL need of a human being in relation to how we respond to the seasons. We can make it as basic as that. If start from the place of simplicity and make adjustments from there, we can see how to create a structure that is in union with something out of our control – the weather.

Should we allow for the holidays to be more evenly spread throughout the year, we have the ability to flow with the seasons and do what is needed to be thriving even within the colder months. What we need in all four seasons is different. When this is reflected in policy, it will be a moment to celebrate that we are part of nature and not working against it.

In conclusion

There is a reflection of how much this system isn’t fit for purpose in the numbers of families who are choosing to home educate and withdrawing their children from school. It is reflected in the number of children who are finding the environment of school difficult. It is time for the policy makers to reflect on how they are contributing to this in an INFLEXIBILITY and lack of desire for change. When the policies change to consider the actual people who they impact, it will allow families to thrive. FAMILY CENTRED policies and structure is the only way forward should we want to exceed our current ceiling on educational progress and environment.

School is just one part of a child’s experience, should we optimise that part, we can create a generation of people who are aware of the wider impact of their environment, their energy levels and capabilities and their ability to self regulate their interaction with the seasons. Only then will they be able to work at optimum levels of productivity. A well rested family where all needs are met on a holistic level is a family who is thriving. We are speaking here of the basic needs of human beings to be able to rest, restore, play, enjoy time together and to be creative. This should be at the forefront of how we set up the year for children in school.

When the policy makers are ready to listen, take action and make an impact on family life today, there are large groups of parents waiting to hear from you.

Will anyone be brave enough to do something that is radical enough to make a difference to well-being?