What a Two-Week Break Means for Families (and How to Keep Kids Switched On)

For many families, half-term is already in full swing — the chance to slow down, catch up on sleep, and maybe even brave a day out in the rain. But in some schools, this year’s break isn’t just a week. It’s two.

A growing number of schools, including those in the Unity Schools Partnership, have moved to a two-week autumn half-term. The idea, says the trust, is to give teachers and pupils more time to rest, recover, and stay well through the long stretch before Christmas.

According to Sarah Garner, interim chief executive of the trust, the autumn term is “the longest and hardest” for everyone. Schools regularly see “a spike in illnesses just before Christmas, impacting wellbeing and, more importantly, learning.”

The trial has already seen success in some areas, with fewer teacher absences and happier classrooms. But for parents, the story isn’t quite so simple.

The Parent Perspective: Welcome Break or Logistical Headache?

Standing outside Colman Junior School in Norwich, Abby Simpson summed up what many parents are feeling:

“The good thing is that holidays are cheaper in the second week because all the other kids have gone back to school. But it’s a little bit tricky around childcare sometimes.”

For her friend Natalie, the extra week actually helped with family arrangements.

“I’m separated from my daughter’s dad, so she has a week on, week off — we both get a week with her. It works for us.”

Every family’s experience is different. For some, the longer half-term feels like a breath of fresh air. For others, it’s another week to fill with childcare, work adjustments, and activities that don’t break the bank.

Teachers See a Real Difference

Inside the classroom, though, the benefits are already visible.
Michael Burdett, a Year 6 teacher and maths lead at Colman Junior, says:

“Having that extra week off really charges me as a teacher again to go forward and be the best teacher I can. It’s vitally important for pupils to also rest and recover during that time.”

Fewer staff absences, fewer colds, and a calmer lead-up to Christmas — the results are hard to ignore.

Experts Weigh In

Professor Lee Elliot Major, of the University of Exeter, believes this kind of calendar rethink is long overdue:

“We need a rebalanced school calendar that reflects the realities of modern family life — supporting working parents, reducing holiday hunger, and ensuring pupils don’t fall behind over the long break.”

He argues that redistributing holidays — slightly shorter summers, slightly longer breaks in autumn — could ease childcare pressure while helping pupils stay on track.

Others, like education campaigner Chris McGovern, disagree, warning that extended breaks can hurt learning if not balanced properly.

Keeping Children Switched On (Without Switching Off Their Break)

Whether your child’s half-term is one week or two, the challenge is the same: finding the right balance between rest and routine. After all, switching off completely can make the return to school that bit harder.

That’s where Walnut Learning comes in.

Walnut is designed to work around your family’s schedule — a digital learning space that’s always on, flexible, and engaging. Children can dip into short activities whenever it suits them, keeping their skills sharp without feeling like they’re back in class.

So if your mornings are for lie-ins and your afternoons are for adventures, Walnut can still fit in — five minutes here, ten minutes there — to keep their curiosity alive and their confidence growing.

A Balanced Break

Half-term should feel like a break — for children and parents. But it doesn’t have to mean a total pause in learning. As schools and councils continue to rethink the academic calendar, families can take control of how learning happens at home.

With Walnut, learning stays flexible, fun, and family-friendly — whether you’re away, at work, or curled up at home.

Because even when school’s out, learning never has to stop.