Are We Missing the Real Issue?
Last week, Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, suggested that it may be time to rethink the length of school holidays. Speaking on LBC radio in response to a
listener’s question about why England’s school holidays are ‘so short’, he turned the discussion on its head—asking instead whether 190 days of schooling per year is actually “long enough”.
His key argument? The six-week summer holiday leads to “dysregulation” in some children, particularly those from vulnerable or disadvantaged backgrounds. He pointed to cases where students return to school after the break struggling with routine, structure, and behaviour. The suggestion to shorten the summer holiday aligns with past discussions in Wales, where similar proposals have been made but never fully implemented.
The story was reported by TES in an article titled Oliver: Time to rethink length of summer holidays, which highlights past efforts to rebalance the school calendar, as well as concerns raised by school leaders about the practical challenges of making such changes.
But is this really the right solution to the problems he’s trying to address?
Who Is Responsible for Society’s Challenges?
There is no doubt that some children struggle over the summer break, whether due to food insecurity, or a lack of care and supervision. These are serious concerns. But is reducing teacher holidays the right way to fix them?
The truth is, these challenges are not the responsibility of teachers to solve. If families are struggling with hunger, lack of childcare, or children are being neglected, that is a societal issue that requires a government-led response. More free holiday clubs, better-funded childcare, and greater family support—these are the areas where
change is needed.
Expecting teachers to compensate for systemic failings by giving up more of their time is not a solution, it’s a scapegoat strategy.
Not Every Child Needs More School
Sir Martyn Oliver’s comments focus on children who find long holidays difficult—but what about those who desperately need that break?
For many children, school is already an overwhelming environment. Those with additional needs, anxiety, or social challenges find the school day exhausting.
Extending the school year would only intensify that stress.
And what about the children who thrive outside of the school structure? The six-week summer holiday is often one of the few opportunities for quality family time. Parents’ schedules are busier than ever, and time spent together is already limited. Holidays allow families to slow down, reconnect, and create childhood memories that school
simply cannot replace.
A child’s development is about far more than just formal education. Play, exploration, and unstructured time are essential for well-being, creativity, and mental health.
School is not always the best place for that.
Teaching Is Not a ‘Term-Time Only’ Job
There is a huge misconception that school holidays are a ‘perk’ of teaching. In reality, they are a lifeline.
Unlike many professions, teachers work in a highly structured, high-pressure environment where every minute of the day is accounted for. There’s no stepping out for a breather, taking a quick coffee break, or even going to the loo when needed. Teaching is physically and emotionally exhausting, and it doesn’t stop when the bell rings.
- Planning
- Marking
- Curriculum updates
- Continuous Professional Development
- Preparing for inspections
- Catching up on admin
All of these things happen during so-called “holidays”. Teachers do not switch off. And even if they did, why shouldn’t they be entitled to actual rest?
A Retention Crisis That’s Being Ignored
Right now, England already has a teacher retention crisis. Schools are struggling to fill vacancies, and thousands of experienced professionals are leaving the profession entirely due to workload, stress, and lack of work-life balance.
Sir Martyn Oliver’s comments completely miss the bigger picture. If we make the job even more demanding—by reducing the only significant recovery time teachers get— how will we ever attract and retain the skilled professionals needed to run our schools?
Good luck with the recruitment drive after this suggestion.
What Should We Really Be Talking About?
If we genuinely care about student well-being, let’s talk about the real issues:
- Better-funded holiday programmes for disadvantaged students
- Support for working parents to manage childcare
- A real strategy for retaining teachers—because without them, none of this works
- Addressing the overwork and burnout crisis that is driving teachers out of the profession
- Recognising the importance of unstructured family time for a child’s well-being
Rather than asking if school holidays are too long, we should be asking: why are we making teaching unsustainable in the first place?
Let’s have that conversation.
What Do You Think?
Should school holidays be restructured, or is this another case of teachers being asked to solve wider social problems? Drop your thoughts in the comments.