Leicestershire Councils Propose Summer Holiday Changes

0:00On this March 17th in Leicester, here's what is making headlines. Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council are proposing big changes to kids summer holidays starting from autumn 2027 through summer 2032. The big shift targets the traditional Leicestershire fortnight, that early summer break where schools let out earlier than most places. Their top choice would cut it down by one week, with kids starting summer vacation later and heading back to class sooner. This custom dates back to the 1960s, when local factories shut down for two weeks in July, so families could holiday together. Now the councils want to tweak the calendar to better match national patterns and help families with kids in different districts. Parents have long loved the setup because it lets them snag cheaper, less crowded trips during those first two weeks. Back in 2021, a consultation saw overwhelming support to keep things as they are. Still, officials argue the changes could cut child protection issues, ease child care costs, and limit learning gaps over long breaks.

1:01Under the preferred plan, the autumn half term would kick off earlier and stretch to two weeks. One alternative pushes the summer break even later, ending on a Thursday with an extra long half term. Another keeps standard timings but adds a longer early summer and just one week autumn break. Both councils plan consultation soon, with the county's cabinet meeting next week to Greenlight a six week online survey from April 20th to May 31st. They'll gauge family feedback before final decisions. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor. See the episode description. Comfort you can hear. Sound you can relax into. S-O-L-L-I-SOLYPILLOW.COM