what does half term mean and how can we help?
In the UK our academic year is split into three 'terms' that are separated by long holidays - Christmas, Easter and Summer. Half way through each term, schools break for a shorter time - usually one week, sometimes two. These shorter breaks are called Half Term. Most boarding school schools close completely during these periods and international students need to leave into the care of their guardians.
holiday differences across the UK
Most schools in England and Wales generally have the same holiday dates, but there are some differences when it comes to Scotland. Scottish schools usually run one or two weeks ahead of their English and Welsh counterparts.
The Autumn term usually starts in late August in Scotland, ending in early December. The spring and summer terms follow a similar pattern, with the school year finishing in late June, rather than July.
Whenever your school holidays fall, at Bright World, we will be one step ahead of you and will have all the dates where the school closes and we will be needed to help. We even know what time of day students need to leave and return and we will help you every step of the way.
how we help international students at half terms
When the British students return home to their UK-based families at half term, those who parents live far away overseas are handed over into the care of their guardians.
Some may go home and just need our help with a reliable airport transfer to take them to the airport and then back to school at the end of the week.
For others, it is not possible to go home and they need somewhere safe to stay. This is when Bright World will arrange a lovely host family for our students.
informing parents about school term dates and times
The Guardianship Toolkit
While you can find the term dates on school websites, they can sometimes be hidden away and hard to find.
As part of our preparations for the year ahead, and our service to you, our Guardianship Care Managers check the term dates for all of our partner barding schools and add the dates to your Parent Portal, Blink.
Dates and timings are then made available to parents, through our unique Guardianship Toolkit. This also includes details of when the boarding houses open and close, so that flights and airport transfers can be arranged with ease.
when travel plans don't match the term dates
Many parents find it difficult to arrange their child's flights around exact school opening and closing times. It is important for parents to ensure that they have an Educational Guardian in place to help in these situations.
A good guardian will be able to arrange an overnight host family before or after a flight and also help with transfers to and from the airport.
read more about what international students do in the holidays
To find out more about the options available to international students during the holidays, and how guardians can help, read our article here.
