Decision details

To askthe cabinet member to agreethe school termand holidaydatesfor 2017/18for Wiltshire’sCommunity, VoluntaryControlled and CommunitySpecialSchools.

I have taken into account the views of those responding to the consultation, the opinions of the Joint Consultative Committee, and the views of members. I approve the 195 day calendar for School Term & Holiday Dates for 2017/18 as shown in Option 3.

This decision was published on the 11 May 2016 and will come into force on the 19 may 2016.

AsdictatedbySection 32 ofthe Education Act2002,the local authority isresponsiblefordetermining theterm datesfor all community,voluntarycontrolled or community special schoolsinWiltshire.

Option 1: Thisisthe preferred optionfrom the original consultation and seesterm 2 finish on Friday15December with term reconvening on Tuesday2 January,givinga breakoftwofull weeks andthree weekends. Thisbreakhas been adoptedbythe majority ofourneighbouringauthorities, includingSwindon,Dorset, Hampshire,Devon,B&NES,Bristol, andGloucestershire.

Option 3: Followsthe principlessetoutinOption1 but movesthe Christmasbreakso thelastdayofterm 2isWednesday20 Decemberandthe start ofterm3 Thursday4 January. Term6 thenfinishesa day earlieronWednesday25July.

A protocolfor thesetting ofschoolterm & holiday dateshasbeenendorsed by theTeachersJointConsultative Committee andCountySecretaries(seeAppendixA). Inline with therecommendationssetoutinthisprotocol,two 195 term daycalendarswereproposedfor consultation.

Consultationswith schools, neighbouringauthorities, members,publicandotherinterestedpartieswerecompleted(see Appendix B).

The TeachersJoint Consultative Committee andCountySecretariesconsidered and notedtheconsultationresponses atits meetingon24 March(seeAppendixC). Inresponseto thenumber ofrepresentationsreceived regarding the timing ofthe Christmasbreakitwasdecidedto re-openan amended consultationfor afurthertwo weeks (seeAppendixD).

The responsesto the consultation are summarised in Appendix E.The TeachersJointConsultative Committee and CountySecretariesconsideredthesefindingsand confirm their supportfor therecommended school termandholidaydatesfor Wiltshire’sCommunity,VoluntaryControlled and CommunitySpecial Schools detailed in Option 3.