SEPTEMBER can be a frustrating month for teachers. After the holidays many children return with little idea of what they were studying before the summer break.
However, “summer learning loss” is less of a problem in Britain than it is in the United States. Researcher Caroline Sharp concludes that while an 11-week break has a marked effect on the poorest American children, the shorter British holiday has little effect.
Having examined the city technology college sector - which has pioneered alternative academic years - she has found no direct evidence that a four or five-term school year would improve achievement.
Go to www.nfer.ac.ukconferencesyear.htm to read the report.
Readers can email suggestions on future Internet Insights to Sam Saunders at J.P.Saunders@leeds.ac.uk
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