CONSULTATION ON SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 2007/2008

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1 Annex B CONSULTATION ON SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 2007/ The LA is required to set school term and holiday dates each year after consultation. You are therefore invited to comment on the proposed dates and issues raised in particular about when the spring term holiday break should be scheduled. This is explained later in this document. 2. This document is being sent to all schools in Milton Keynes for the attention of the Chair of Governors and Headteacher, the teacher professional associations and diocesan authorities. Although the Council is not consulting with parents, the document will be available on the web. The Council would also be pleased if schools wish to provide parents with a copy of the document and the response sheet. 3. The consultation has been prepared following discussion with the Eastern Region s Term Dates Group, which was established to consider school term and holiday dates. The local authorities in the group are Milton Keynes, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridge, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Peterborough, Luton and our neighbouring authorities of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire. 4. The Regional Group has taken into consideration the Local Government Associations recommended term dates. These are issued annually to LAs to assist with the move towards a standard school year across the country by the LGA s Standing Committee on the School Year. There is an expectation that local authorities will consult locally on these proposals. The LGA s proposals are based on the following principles: a) b) c) a) b) c) As even a pattern of terms lengths as possible (approximately two blocks of seven weeks before the Christmas break and four blocks of six weeks after Christmas; A start to the school year as near to 1 September as possible; A start to term 5 in early April irrespective of the incidence of the Easter bank holiday. 5. There are differing views amongst the Eastern Region authorities about which model to adopt. 6. At the time of writing this is the latest position regarding Milton Keynes Council s nearest neighbours: Bedfordshire has confirmed it has agreed to adopt the Eastern Regional model (Appendix 2). Buckinghamshire has consulted specifically on whether the spring term break should follow on from the Easter bank holidays or follow the LGA model, ie two weeks after Easter. Feedback from the consultation confirms 75% in favour of the LGA model. Northamptonshire has adopted the LGA model and in addition has agreed the spring half term break in February to run from Monday, 18 February 2008 to Friday, 22 February 2008, a week later than the Eastern Regional model.

2 d) Other LAs: Peterborough has agreed to adopt the Eastern Regional model Cambridgeshire has agreed to adopt the Eastern Regional model Essex has agreed to go with an amended version of the LGA model Norfolk still to be decided Luton likely to go with the Eastern Regional model Lincolnshire still to be decided EASTER / APRIL HOLIDAY 2008 The key issue on which the LA would like your views is the Easter/April holiday You are being asked to state a preference for one of the following options for the holiday between the spring and summer terms The attached response sheet should be completed and returned by Friday, 19 May Options Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Starting at the Easter weekend (Good Friday, 21 March, to Easter Monday, 24 March) and continuing to Friday, 4 April Monday, 31 March to Friday, 11 April Monday, 7 April to Friday, 18 April Pros and Cons Schools may wish to weigh the following considerations when making their decision. 1. Option 1 would produce an unusually short spring term (about ten weeks excluding half term) and an unusually long summer term (about fourteen weeks excluding half term). For comparison the Easter holiday dates for Milton Keynes for 2006 are 3 to 14 April and for to 13 April. 2. Milton Keynes has not separated this holiday from the Easter weekend before. One authority that tried an arrangement similar to Option 2 in 2005 noticed an increase in absenteeism in the week between the Easter weekend and the holiday and received a number of complaints from parents who felt that their normal holiday arrangements had been disrupted. Option 3, with the longer break between the Easter weekend and the holiday, is designed to prevent the problem of absenteeism that might arise if there were only four school days between the Easter weekend and the holiday. However, both Options 2 and 3 would be a departure from the arrangements parents are used to. NB Option 3, the LGA model, also means that the February half term is one week later than the Regional model. This is in order to even out the length of terms. 3. We are consulting the local dioceses on the three options. Some authorities have received opposing views on whether separating the holiday from the Easter weekend could undermine the importance of Easter as a major Christian festival, although that has not been the case in Milton Keynes. 4. When the Easter holiday is set in the weeks either side of the Easter weekend the twoweek break is made up of the two bank holidays and only eight days of school holiday.

3 In 2008 Option 1 requires nine days of school holiday and Options 2 and 3 both require ten. 5. Bedfordshire has agreed Option Northamptonshire has agreed Option Buckinghamshire has consulted schools and received 75% support for Option 3, which is likely to be recommended to Cabinet. 8. The LGA is promoting Option 3 and has the support nationally of the NASUWT. In setting school term and holiday dates the Council always takes account of the dates set by neighbouring authorities. If it becomes clear that a majority of our neighbours favour one particular option it may be preferable to keep our dates in line with theirs. The second question in the consultation form addresses this point. Although we are not attempting a formal consultation of parents it will be helpful if schools can try to ascertain parents views on this issue and take them into consideration when making their choice of dates. The return date for completed consultation forms is Friday, 19 May 2006.

4 Appendix 1 Model 1 LGA Recommended Term Dates for S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE Bank Holiday School (pupil day) Holiday

5 LGA Term Term Dates No. of Days Autumn Term (1) Monday 3 September Friday 19 October 35 October Half Term Monday 22 October Friday 26 October Autumn Term (2) Monday 29 October Wednesday 19 December 38 Christmas Holiday Thursday 20 December Wednesday 2 January Spring Term (1) Thursday 3 January Friday 15 February 32 February Half Term Monday 18 February Friday 22 February Spring Term (2) Monday 25 February Friday 4 April 28 Spring Holiday Monday 7 April Friday 18 April Summer Term (1) Monday 21 April Friday 23 May 24 Whitsun Half Term Monday 26 May Friday 30 May Summer Term (2) Monday 2 June Wednesday 23 July 38 Total 195 NB. Each school will identify five days within the 195 day envelope as professional development (non-pupil) days.

6 Appendix 2 Model 2 Eastern Region Alternative S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE Bank Holiday School (pupil day) Holiday

7 Model 2 - Eastern Region Alternative Term Term Dates No. of Days Autumn Term (1) Monday 3 September Friday 19 October 35 October Half Term Monday 22 October Friday 26 October Autumn Term (2) Monday 29 October Wednesday 19 December 38 Christmas Holiday Thursday 20 December Wednesday 2 January Spring Term (1) Thursday 3 January Friday 8 February 27 February Half Term Monday 11 February Friday 15 February Spring Term (2) Monday 18 February Thursday 20 March 24 Spring Holiday Friday 21 March Friday 4 April Summer Term (1) Monday 7 April Friday 23 May 34 Whitsun Half Term Monday 26 May Friday 30 May Summer Term (2) Monday 2 June Tuesday 22 July 37 Total 195 NB. Each school will identify five days within the 195 day envelope as professional development (non-pupil) days.