Summer holidays: Why time out of school shouldn’t mean time out of learning

Helen O'Donnell
Jul 24, 2017 · 4 min read

Swallows and Amazons?

As I write, schools, parents and children are gearing up for the start of the long summer break. While many of us will have fond childhood memories of long evenings and no responsibilities, these 6 (+) weeks away from the routine of school will currently be generating a real mix of feelings. For every child gearing up for their own idyllic Swallows and Amazons adventure, there’s plenty more preparing themselves for an uninspired time in front of the TV or being shifted from relative to relative. For every parent eagerly anticipating quality time spent with their progeny, there’s plenty more terrified at what childcare costs and a lack of free school meal provision will mean for their ability to feed the family, let alone entertain them. In reality, nothing quite emphasises social inequality like the summer holidays.

For those of us that work around the education system, the key thing that we all need to remember is that this inequality is not a short-term issue that will be gone once September rolls back round. In fact, from an education perspective, it’s only going to get worse!

What the break from school really means

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell dispels the myth of success being down to chance and exceptionality and presents far simpler explanations for success; for what really is success but exaggerated inequality of achievement? In one chapter, he describes a longitudinal study from Baltimore that illustrates the real consequences that summer breaks can have. Simply over the course of elementary years, the achievement gap between the children in high- and low-socioeconomic groups almost doubled. Essentially, those that can afford to participate in clubs, courses, and other enriching activities, keep on learning and progressing in the holidays. Those that can’t, don’t.

Here in the UK just last year, in a survey from Explore Learning 74% of parents of children under the age of 14 say their children’s academic abilities have dropped by the time they return to school in September.

This is a real issue.

What can we do about this?

I’ve written before about the work of Children’s University and why learning beyond the classroom is so vitally important. As the above should make clear, this importance of learning beyond the classroom is never more acutely felt than the summer. So what can we really do to make sure time out of schools is not time out of learning? Here’s five suggestions:

1. Look to Children’s University

Yes, I would say that, but it’s true. We have a searchable database of activities that will show you what you can do in your local area. We also run a summer challenge that kids can do. Our partners across the country have put in plenty of work to provide all they can for local children, so make the most of it. In Essex, for example, children have 8 weeks to complete the Colchester Cultural Trail — organised by Essex Children’s University with support from the Colchester Learning Network.

2. Look to the local press

This week alone, I’ve read 50 free things to do in Liverpool thanks to the Liverpool Echo, and the Manchester Evening News has published a similarly hefty list of freebies. Time out of school needn’t be the financial burden it often is.

3. Look online

It’s nice to think that children will be out and about, at one with nature and building a sense of adventure, but if the reality is that they’re indoors in front of a screen, we can still help to make it count. Look at sites like the Wonder Why Society, CBeebies, or YouTube channels like The Gastronaut, Stefan Gates’ science channel that makes fun viewing. Be sure to check out the NSPCC’s guidelines for keeping children safe online.

4. Check out the local library

Libraries are fantastic resources in any town. Not only do they make reading fun and accessible (be sure to check out the Summer Reading Challenge run by The Reading Agency) but they also act as a community hub where other organisations run and advertise other local events and activities.

5. Schools and teachers — share this with parents!

Include blogs like this in your emails to parents and be sure to slip all those promotional leaflets and information into book bags before the holidays. Kids aren’t your responsibility during the holidays, but how you send them off in the summer for example can impact how they return to you in autumn.

When I look back at my own long, lazy summers as a child I remember the mantra, “school is boring, summer is fun”, but how often I now hear children (including my own) complaining of being bored by the time they’re 4 weeks in, if not before. All children crave adventure, the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity and to discover the new and the previously unexplored. In short, they are ripe for ‘learning by stealth’ and as a result no child should suffer ‘holiday learning loss’. However, the reality remains that parents’ ability to provide stimulating summer activities for their children is sharply constrained by income and it shouldn’t be. No child should be left out and left behind.

Helen O'Donnell

Written by

Chief Executive and Director of Partnerships, Children’s University Trust. Winner Forward Ladies NW Not for Profit/Social Enterprise Leader of the Year 2015

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade