Kerry Katona has revealed that her 12-year-old daughter Dylan-Jorge has been left “absolutely gutted” after an unexpected change forced her to leave private education and enrol at a state school.

The former Atomic Kitten star had previously paid for Dylan-Jorge — affectionately known as DJ — to attend a private school. However, after the school shut down, Kerry was forced to find a new option for her youngest daughter.

For any 12-year-old, suddenly leaving behind a familiar school environment can be a major adjustment.

But according to Kerry, there is one particular difference that has left DJ especially shocked — and it has everything to do with the summer holidays.

“She’s Absolutely Gutted”

Opening up about the change, Kerry explained that DJ had become accustomed to the much longer summer break she received while attending private school.

Now that she is moving into the state-school system, the reality of a significantly shorter holiday has apparently come as quite a surprise.

“DJ’s off school for the summer. She’s absolutely gutted because her private school shut down, so I’ve put her into a state school,” Kerry explained.

“Before, she’d get about 12 weeks off, so now she’s in shock that she only gets half that.”

While changing schools might sound like the bigger concern, it appears the dramatic reduction in holiday time is what has really caught DJ off guard.

And Kerry had plenty to say about the school system herself.

Kerry Takes Aim At Holiday Homework

The mother-of-five admitted that she loves having her children home during the school holidays and questioned why pupils are often expected to continue doing homework after spending so much of their day in the classroom.

Kerry argued that children already spend around six hours a day at school following rules, asking permission and completing lessons — so she is not convinced they should then be sent home with even more work.

“I love it when the holidays come round,” she said.

She went on to criticise the amount of homework children can receive, making it clear she believes youngsters should have more freedom to enjoy their time away from the classroom.

Her comments are likely to strike a chord with plenty of parents who have found themselves debating exactly how much schoolwork children should be expected to complete during their breaks.

A Big Change For Kerry’s Youngest Daughter

DJ is Kerry’s youngest child and the daughter she shares with her late husband, George Kay, who died in 2019.

Kerry is also mum to Molly and Lilly-Sue, whom she shares with former Westlife singer Brian McFadden, as well as Heidi and Max from her marriage to Mark Croft.

Over the years, the singer and television personality has spoken openly about her approach to parenting — including when she believes private education is, and is not, worth paying for.

Kerry previously revealed that she refused to fund private sixth-form education for her daughter Heidi because she felt it would not make sense if Heidi was unhappy with school and uncertain about what she wanted to do next.

However, she made it clear that she would happily invest in education connected to something one of her children was genuinely passionate about.

“If she decided she wanted to go to drama school, I would pay for that because she’s a born star and is really good,” Kerry previously said.

It is an approach that appears to reflect Kerry’s wider philosophy: education should suit the individual child rather than simply come with an expensive price tag.

Kerry Has Also Been Facing Her Own Difficult Struggle

The school upheaval comes as Kerry has also been speaking candidly about another difficult issue in her life — her ongoing battle with chronic pain.

The television personality has previously revealed diagnoses including ulcerative colitis and arthritis and has spoken about suffering from problems involving her shoulders, back and spine.

More recently, Kerry admitted there have been frightening moments when she has felt as though her body has “completely shut down.”

“I’ll be honest, I’m still feeling pretty c**p at the moment,” she said while discussing her health struggles.

“I live with chronic pain and have for years now, but there’s been more than one occasion recently where my body has just completely shut down.”

Kerry admitted that the experience has been both frightening and sobering, particularly as she believes constantly pushing herself and failing to make enough time for rest may be taking a toll.

She is now reportedly awaiting the results of a comprehensive health check in the hope of getting clearer answers about what is behind her ongoing symptoms.

She has also sought help for issues involving her spine as she continues trying to manage the pain that has affected her for years.

A Summer Of Adjustment For The Katona Family

For Kerry, the coming months appear to be about navigating change on several fronts.

While she searches for answers about her own health, her youngest daughter is preparing for a very different school experience after circumstances outside the family’s control brought her private education to an unexpected end.

And although DJ may currently be mourning those extra-long summer holidays, the move marks the beginning of a completely new chapter for the 12-year-old.

One thing is certain: going from roughly 12 weeks of summer freedom to around half that amount is one school lesson DJ apparently wasn’t prepared for.