Half-term is two weeks away, and if you work, you already know the maths: five days off school, maybe one or two days of leave, and a gap in the middle. Add older and younger children on different timetables, and the week can feel like a puzzle you solve at 11pm the night before. This plan breaks it into small steps you can do now, so the week runs itself.

Step 1: Check the dates for every child

In Manchester, schools following the council’s term dates close on Friday 23 October and reopen on Monday 2 November, so half-term week is 26–30 October.

Don’t assume every school matches. Academies, faith schools and some secondaries set their own term dates, and a few break a week earlier. If you have a primary child and a secondary child, check both school websites today and put the dates side by side. Oldham and Trafford families should check their own school’s calendar too.

Write down, for each day of the week:

• who is off school
• who is working, and what hours
• which days are already covered by family, leave or a club

The gaps jump out straight away, and you’re no longer planning from memory.

Step 2: Sort your cover before the gaps fill up

Once you can see the gaps, deal with them in this order:

1. Ask early. Grandparents, aunties, neighbours and friends get booked up for half-term too. A quick message this week beats a panicked one on the Friday.
2. Swap days with another family. You take two children on Tuesday; they take two on Thursday. It costs nothing and children often enjoy it more than a quiet day at home.
3. Talk to your employer. Many workplaces will consider swapped shifts, a compressed week or working from home for a day. It’s easier to agree two weeks ahead than two days ahead.
4. Use a registered holiday club for the days that are left. A good club gives your child structure, friends and fresh air, and gives you a full working day without worry.

At Redbrick, our half-term holiday club is running. You don’t need to book through a link – just register your interest and we’ll come back to you.

Step 3: Make the costs work

Holiday childcare adds up, but help is there if you use it.

Tax-Free Childcare. For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £500 every three months per child (£2,000 a year), or up to £1,000 every three months for a disabled child. It covers children aged 11 or under (16 or under if disabled), and approved holiday clubs are included. Remember to reconfirm your details every three months, or the payments stop. Read the official guidance on GOV.UK.

Universal Credit. If you’re on Universal Credit and working, you may be able to claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs, including holiday clubs, as long as the provider is registered. Keep your receipts and report costs promptly. See how the childcare element works.

The rules on who can claim which scheme are worth checking for your own situation, as you can’t always use both. GOV.UK’s help with childcare costs pages are the best place to start.

Step 4: Give the week a simple shape

Children cope with a week off much better when they know what’s coming. You don’t need a timetable stuck to the fridge – just a rough shape:

• One anchor per day. A club day, a visit to a grandparent, a trip to the library, a walk in the park. Something to get up and out for.
• Keep mornings familiar. Similar wake-up times and breakfast make the return to school on Monday 2 November much easier.
• Agree screen time before the week starts, not halfway through Wednesday. A simple rule (“after lunch, for an hour”) avoids a lot of arguments.
• Add one small job each. Tidying the bookshelf, helping cook tea, sorting the school bag. Responsibility builds confidence, and it helps you too.
• Plan one thing together. Even an hour – a free museum, a bike ride, baking – is what children tend to remember.

Step 5: Get ready for Monday 2 November

Use the weekend before school returns to reset:

• uniform washed, PE kit found, shoes still fitting
• any homework or reading done by Saturday, not Sunday night
• earlier bedtimes on Saturday and Sunday
• a quick chat about what’s coming up in the next half of term

For secondary pupils, this is a good moment to look at upcoming deadlines and tests. If they’d benefit from some extra support, our tuition service in Longsight can help them start the second half of term with more confidence.

Quick takeaways

• Check every child’s half-term dates – Manchester council schools are off 26–30 October, but academies and some secondaries differ.
• Map the week day by day, then fill gaps in order: family, swaps, employer, holiday club.
• Use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare support for registered holiday clubs.
• Give each day one anchor and keep mornings familiar.
• Reset over the weekend of 31 October–1 November.

Planning your half-term now?

If you’d like a place at Redbrick’s half-term holiday club in Longsight, Old Trafford or Oldham, register your interest here and our team will be in touch.