// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Two-week half terms: The school holiday no one can agree on
Samantha Buckland is bracing herself for a tough fortnight. The single mum lives in Reigate, Surrey, and her seven-year-old son goes to a state school that has just introduced a two-week half term.
Buckland, 45, has two jobs: teaching medical students at a hospital in Brighton and working at a vintage shop in her home town. The 45-year-old receives universal credit and is worried about the cost of looking after her son while school is closed.
"What I'm trying to do is find out who I can get childcare from and work around that," she says. "I'd like to work, I need money. It's not cheap to live these days."
But money isn't Buckland's only concern. She's also trying to piece together the patchwork of childcare needed to cover the break.
There's a local holiday club, but it's only running for one of the two weeks, which Buckland says "parents are up in arms about". She'll also have to work at the hospital some days.
As a result, she's considering asking family to help, or even going to stay with a fellow mum so they can take turns with the kids.
Samantha Buckland, pictured here with her son, says she's trying to piece together the patchwork of childcare needed to cover the break
Most councils in England still favour the traditional one-week half term, according to the website School Term Dates, but several local authorities have opted for a fortnight in 2026/27 - including Nottinghamshire, Bromley and the Isle of Wight.
The BBC spoke to many parents for this article and while some cited the advantages of a longer mid-term break - cheaper holidays and their children's educational wellbeing - others said they would struggle with childcare and that it placed too much strain on the family, especially coming so soon after long summer holidays.
Local authorities don't determine term dates for all schools in their area. For example, academies and faith schools can often set their own. But those schools with the freedom to choose may still decide to follow suit.