The Final Half Term - What Really Goes On?!

This weekend signals the end of the first two weeks of the final half term of the school year, and most schools only have another five or so remaining. Many parents and people outside of primary education aren’t sure what really happens in these final weeks, but that doesn’t stop people telling us teachers what (in their opinion) is going on in our classrooms!

So, what is the truth? Well, I can only speak from my experiences in the various schools across Coventry and Warwickshire in which I have worked, but hopefully I can shed some light on this issue by quoting various comments made by people over the years, as well as adding my own thoughts on how our education system is affecting what really happens in schools. Let’s begin by starting with a classic:

“The last half term is just watching DVDs.” - If this is all we did in the final half term, I’d be a very happy man! It is true that many classes watch DVDs in the final week, but the fact is that most classes only actually watch one or maybe two during this time. The reason for this is that schools try to fill the final week with various whole school activities and events, meaning there is very little time left with your own class, and you normally try to do something more active so you can enjoy your final days together before you let them go to the care of their next teacher...***wipes away a tear from the eye***

“Year 6/Key Stage 2 practise their end of year production all the time.” - Now this one used to have a ring of truth to it, but now it is no longer the case - much to the annoyance of many a teacher/aspiring director. Many classes would have lots of rehearsal time during the day, interspersed with various Maths, English and other lessons. But now, because schools are so concerned about what an OFSTED inspector might say if they saw you actually enriching children with a different experience instead of teaching Maths and English all the time, this doesn’t happen. Teachers are told that they must maintain the relentless pace of their lessons right until the final week, despite the fact that primary aged children are absolutely shattered having worked so hard all year. Yes, it is of course important to make sure that learning continues throughout the half term, especially because children generally take a step backwards over the six week holidays (which in itself is shrinking, but that’s a rant for another day!). But this learning can be through different experiences and cleverly planned practical activities that give children a chance to apply their knowledge in different ways. Besides, I’m sure there are a great number of people who point to these productions as the spark that made them go onto greater things, and many who say it gave them such a boost to their self-confidence, which we can all agree is of vital importance to children.

“The only lessons they do are basically just art and sport.” - If you have read the above point, you will already know this isn’t true. However, it is very fair to say that you may see a greater number of PE and/or Art lessons in the final half term. The reason for this is because they are a fantastic way of keeping children engaged during the final weeks when they have begun to switch off. It would be very unfair however to relegate these lessons to “timetable fillers”. Don’t forget that PE and Art lessons form an important part of the curriculum, and are a statutory requirement of primary education. PE helps promote a healthy lifestyle in children, as well as providing opportunities for them to test their physical abilities in different sports and challenges. Art gives a fantastic opportunity for children to express themselves creatively, perhaps in ways they never knew they could do, and takes children away from the stricter confines of the academic subjects and allows them to express a sense of individualism. Both of these also allow for children who are not as able in the “academic subjects” to show their skills in other areas, giving them a greater sense of achievement and self-belief, rather than just thinking they will never be good at anything just because they aren’t as good at maths as other children.

“They just bring in toys to play with.” - This is definitely something I’ve seen less and less of as the years have progressed. Again, this used to be something saved for the final week of the year - usually just for the last day. But, as toys have become more electronic and more expensive, many schools do not want to put themselves in the challenging situation of what to do if something lets lost or broken. This is something I do actually support, but mostly because I want to spend the final week doing lots of activities together as a class. I remember one year I created my own version of Deal or No Deal, where a randomly chosen child had to compete with another child (playing the role of The Banker) for a specific number of sweets. Watching the children work out the probability of how likely it was for them to take away all of the sweets was fascinating, and hearing the children offer sound advice and support was superb. It was nicer when the winning child offered to share them with the class (an idea they had on their own by the way), and created a memory we will all look back on fondly.

“They just work to get ready for their end of year exams.” - Sadly, this is becoming more and more true as the years develop. Our exam culture is as strong as ever, and many teachers are required to administer end of year exams to help with assigning the final levels to the children. Now, I do believe that exam technique is important to teach children at the moment because it doesn’t look like exams are going anywhere soon. However, the concern is that these optional exams are becoming as important to some schools as the SATS. Whilst end of year exams can provide a useful tool for teachers about the levels of the children, they need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Teachers should use such tests as evidence to back up their own teacher assessments, whereby teachers think about how each child generally performs in day-to-day lessons. This is a much better indicator as it isn’t reliant on just one test on one day, which can give a very different picture of a child compared to how they actually work on a “normal day”. Hopefully any exams that are administered are followed by various creative and enjoyable activities that allow children to relax and apply their skills in different ways.

In summary, lots of work still goes on in schools during the final half term, with many administering end of year exams. But most teachers balance this with an array of creative, physical and inventive lessons which allow for children to maintain their enthusiasm for learning throughout the half term, especially as they become more tired. The final week generally sees a more relaxed timetable involving games, crafts and DVDs, as well as activities that allow the children to enjoy their time with the teacher before moving on to a new class. I hope that this continues to be the case for many years, and perhaps one day we will see an education environment that can allow for a more relaxed time in the final weeks of the school year, giving children some truly wonderful experiences that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

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