Contact: Melanie Saunders, Education Officer (Secondary/Post-16)

Ext 6364, e-mail: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 In the light of the responses to consultation about the new pattern of the school year, this report seeks a decision on school term and holiday dates for the school year 2005/2006.

2 Background

2.1 In December 2002, the Cabinet of the County Council took an in principle decision to move in September 2004 to a school year based on a more even distribution of holiday periods. The dates for the school year 2004/2005 were agreed by the Executive Member for Education on 22 May 2003. This decision was endorsed by the Cabinet on 27 May 2003.

2.2. Detailed decisions on the full model of a standardised school year were deferred until further discussions with professional associations, headteachers and other staff groups as well as our neighbouring local authorities and the Local Government Association (LGA) had taken place.

3. Responses to discussions with neighbouring LEAs

3.1. LGA guidance had indicated an October break of more than one week, a spring break in the first two weeks of April, independent of Easter, and consideration of a school year which specified some of the five professional days. Discussions indicated that support for the longer October break was not strong, but that the spring break should be fixed as far as possible and that schools should retain discretion over the five professional days.

3.2. In the absence of a national pattern of school term and holiday dates, addressing the difficulties caused by potential variations across authority boundaries has been a priority in seeking to agree dates for 2005/2006. Discussions with education authorities in the south east and south have taken place in an effort to achieve a regional agreement on those dates which have been the most difficult to establish due to the annual variation in the position of Easter. The current positions of 20 local authorities on spring term dates are summarised in the following table.

Table 1

4 Response to consultation with schools

4.1 Three different year options, two from the LEA and one from the Teachers' Liaison Panel, were sent out for consultation with schools in October 2003 with responses required by 30 January 2004 (see appendix 1)

4.2 The 359 responses received, which represent 61% of the County Council's schools. Most respondents, 81%, favoured option 3 which is the traditional three term model with Easter in the middle of the spring break, 10% favoured option 2 and 9% option 1. The following table shows the pattern of responses and preferences expressed:

Table 2

5. Other options considered

5.1 Whilst recognising that the majority of those consulted responding favoured option 3, it is noted that 233 consultees have not responded. Option 3 would, however, put Hampshire dates out of line with the pattern of spring term dates emerging from other local authorities, which would conflict with the priority which many schools and families would give to common dates across local boundaries.

5.2 A further option (4) (Appendix 2) was developed which retained the majority of term and holiday dates from option 3. These dates are close to those agreed in neighbouring authorities. Option 4 sought to achieve compromise by aligning the February and April holiday dates which differ significantly in option 3. This compromise also brought the term dates closer to balance and was in accord with the in principle decision made by the County Council.

5.3 The long final session which concludes with a part week has been identified by teachers' professional associations as likely to cause practical difficulties in schools. In response to this, further discussions have taken place and a final compromise option which retains alignment with other authorities but addresses the concerns expressed about the final session has been drawn-up (Appendix 3). This also makes the summer holiday close to six weeks, at least as long as the break over most of the past five years.

5.4 Schools would retain discretion over the use of the five professional days, which they would plan taking into account the overall shape of the school year and their development aims.

5.5 This compromise is a response to the consultation with schools and to the concerns subsequently expressed by teacher associations. It is also a response to the need to reach a regional agreement on dates to minimise inconvenience for both school staff and parents.

Recommendation

1. That school term and holiday dates as set out in Appendix 3 be approved for the school year 2005/2006.

Section D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extend in the preparation of this report.

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Published works

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined the Act.

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