I took a month of unpaid parental leave to look after my daughter for the summer holiday

“Schools essentially act as centers of social support as well as learning,” he tells me.

According to Elliot Major, the reason public schools in the UK have a long summer break is due to private schools’ habit of giving their students long holidays to allow for seasonal travel.

Today, wealthier families can more easily afford to enroll their children in sports camps, artistic activities and summer cultural excursions, says Elliot Major. All of these can lead to better education.

Local authorities often organize events through their schools and libraries, but many still require parents to pay a fee to register their children.

Bain, who lives in Cheshire and looks after children of different ages, finds it difficult to “motivate and entertain” them for six weeks, given their different interests.

“You have to go out and find free activities as well as paid activities,” he says.

Heptinstall, who lives in Yorkshire, changed jobs after taking unpaid maternity leave last summer and is now able to spend more time at home with her daughter.

She says her daughter often attends activity days, from arts and crafts experiences to forest visits, but the cost varies depending on whether she’s looking after a school day (£25) or a working day (£35).

“We will pick and choose [activity days] “She wants to participate rather than out of necessity because I’m working and I have to find child care for her,” Heptinstall explains. “I appreciate that we are lucky in that sense.”