For most teachers, the big schools story of the day is that they don't have to go anywhere near one. But as the sun shines down on deserted playgrounds across the land, parent Barbara Ellen argues that summer holidays are just too long.
"For many parents, the overlong holidays are a headache and an expense.
Not only are you supposed to provide non-stop entertainment for weeks on end, now it seems there must also be an element of "home-schooling" and "self improvement", lest your child be one of those who fall behind.
The expected result would be the more moneyed parents running around, keeping up with the tutoring, extra-reading, rural walks, library visits, chosen sports. Meanwhile the stressed poorer parent hasn't the time or the cash to compete."
Teacher Francis Gilbert (@wonderfrancis) thinks she's wrong to worry:
"I'd like to say to a lot of parents I come across: Forget all that nightmarish 'hothousing' advice that clogs up the press, and just pay some attention to your child! Talk to them about what they're interested in, share meals with them, enjoy being in their company…
That's enough; the summer holidays are a great time to chill out, no matter how rich or poor you are. Leave the teaching to the teachers."
And pupil Sara Abbasi makese a heartfelt plea:
"Please, Mr Gove, leave our summer break alone!"
She calls on parents to have a rethink, too:
"A few weeks of having fun during the summer will not turn a child into an uneducated maniac. Maybe it's time for reform - not in school term dates, but in the neurotic, pushy attitude of parents."
More education news from the Guardian and Observer
• Jessica Shepherd (@jessshepherd1) says Cambridge dons are expected to pass a vote of no confidence in the universities minister, David Willetts, this evening. Details from her as they come in.
• Britain's biggest exam board, AQA, is planning trials of an interactive test that will generate harder or softer questions depending on how a candidate performs. It says pupils waste time tackling questions that are either too easy or too challenging for them. The board is proposing to create an individualised exam that candidates will take online.
• Comedian and actress Tracey Ullman is to return to the British stage after a 20-year absence in a new play by Stephen Poliakoff about the importance of teachers and the public service ethos in our lives. He wrote the play before news of cuts in education:
"I didn't write in response to what was happening, but it is clearly a relevant subject at the moment. It is a look at … people who have given all their lives to public service."
• Frederika Whitehead (@FrederikaW) wondered what teachers had been getting as presents on the last day of term.
Owen77 set the bar high:
"Am a primary school teacher, and this year got the usual wine, beer, chocolate stuff, but 3 years ago my pupils all chipped in to get me a Nintendo Wii. Which was nice."
Alexinwonderland responded:
"A Nintendo Wii? Bloody hell. I got an amazing hand-stitched stuffed giraffe made by the mum of one of my tinies. Best. Present. Ever."
Dapperdanielle was delighted by:
"A garden gnome. He travelled to the Highlands with me that summer, and was photographed doing all kinds of things (with the sheep, on the beach, up a mountain). Norman's travel log was the basis of a geography display at the start of term."
Dollypop said:
The bursar at my school criticised a teacher for receiving a gift from a parent, suggesting it was 'a form of bribery'. Bribery to make him do what? Teach their daughter better than anyone else? Give her an A when she might have deserved a B? A very tenuous and potentially offensive argument, and deeply ironic considering bankers have received £14bn in bonuses in the last academic year."
Antgunvoy recalled:
"My cousin works in the provinces, in the North Country you see. She says that people up there are so poor, but so, so kind. A youngster from Grimethorpe brought her a pot of chicken-feet stew as a leaving present."
And Timthemonkey told us:
"The ex was (and still is to my knowledge) a teacher and she'd come home with enough flowers to start a florist, many packets of Jaffa cakes to support her tube a day habit, and once, bizarrely, a sketch one of her year 9s drew of her in the buff. Despite her claiming to have not modelled for it and being utterly embarrassed by it, the accuracy of it was quite uncanny."
Education news from around the web
• The number of students deferring university places has dropped by almost two-thirds, as youngsters steer clear of the tuition fee hike in 2012. Just 5,940 18-year-olds applying to university this year have opted to defer starting their course until the autumn of next year, compared with 15,701 last year, Ucas figures show.
• The Telegraph carries a breakdown of who goes to university by religion: based on Department of Education figures, it says Christian and atheist children are least likely to opt for higher education, while Hindu, Sikh and Muslim teenagers are more likely to go to do so.
• Jenni Murray recalls her convent school days in the Mail:
"The nuns may have meant well but they scared me to death. They were extremely fierce and very academically demanding, though that was probably good for me in the long run.
One of them had a belt and didn't hesitate to use it - she once gave it to everyone in the class because another pupil hadn't owned up to something. It hurt like hell, and I'm still terrified of nuns today!"
• Staff at a Billericay school launched a "countdown to London 2012" with a surprise flashmob for students that 3,000 people have now viewed on YouTube. Entertaining or excruciating? You decide.
Blog of the day
• The always interesting Creative Education (@creativeedu) blog has something special today: the first in a series of crowd-sourced posts for new teachers. Teachers were asked for their three top tips for new staff starting out in September. They include "you will never be done", "find positive people" and "it gets easier".
Tell the Guardian about your school's A-level and GCSE achievements
The Guardian would like to highlight your pupils' GCSE and A-level success this summer. We are asking schools to respond to a few quick questions about their pupils' results as soon as you receive them - on 18 August for A-levels and 25 August for GCSEs. Please take a note of the following web pages and return to them to fill in your results on those days:
We want to tell our readers how well your pupils have performed and are looking forward to mapping the success of young people across the country.
Education seminars from Guardian Professional
This seminar will provide independent advice and information on framing a research proposal, the process and pitfalls of a research degree and career prospects.
9 September, London.
Making the most of media opportunities to enhance your school's profile
Whether it's sharing good news or handling a crisis, headteachers and school management teams need to be able to handle the media in all of its forms. This one-day seminar in association with the NAHT is essential for new and aspiring heads as well as established school leaders who wish to update their knowledge. It includes a session on social media.
20 September, London.
Using social media to enhance the student experience
As tuition fees rise, so too do student expectations. Social media is an effective, low-cost way to manage this challenge. This seminar will explore newly conceived best practice, techniques and strategy for all higher education staff: academic, communications, recruitment, marketing and strategy.
22 September, London.
Whether it's getting published, convincing an employer that you have transferable skills, or securing an academic post, you need to be fully prepared to achieve your goals. This course will help you identify career opportunities for those with research skills and specialist knowledge.
4-5 October, London.
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