Why a differencein our holidays?

Our school summer holidays have always been out of kilter with our English cousins but, for some reason, this year is worse that ever with local pupils off as much as a month before their counterparts in the south.

You may not think it makes much of a difference but it would seem everyone is geared up for the English shools breaking up and is totally unaware that we’ve been basking in the sun - or, more likely, sheltering from the rain - for the best part of a month.

I’ll admit there are some benefits - holidaying abroad, for instance, is cheaper in July than August – but there are many more downsides.

As a child, it always upset me that the kids’ summer special TV programmes didn’t kick in until halfway through our holidays - and continued well into our next term.

And it was always annoying to see ‘back to school’ adverts when we’d already been back behind our desks for weeks.

Most frustrating nowadays, however, is constantly having to explain to PR firms the other side of the border that, yes, our holidays have already started and, no, we’re not going to be carrying their press release on how to entertain your children in late August and into September.

The one question I can’t answer, however, is why are we so much out of kilter. Answers anyone?