Decision details

The purpose of this report is to ask the cabinet member to agree the school term and holiday dates for 2011/12 for Wiltshire’s Community, Voluntary Controlled and Community Special Schools.

A protocol for the setting of school term & holiday dates has been endorsed by the Teachers Joint Consultative Committee and County Secretaries (see appendix 1). In line with the recommendations set out in this protocol, three 195 term day calendars were proposed for consultation based on the Local Government Association’s Standard School Year. Consultations with schools, neighbouring authorities, members, public and other interested parties have been completed (see appendix 2).

Since the original proposals were consulted upon, the Government has announced that it will be moving the Spring Bank Holiday to the 4^th June 2012 and granting an additional bank holiday on 5^th June to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  They have also confirmed that this will reduce the number of compulsory school days for the 2011/12 academic year to 189 days. As a result of this, the examination boards have based their programme on the expectation that local authorities will delay the spring holiday for a week to accommodate the bank holiday change. In line with recommendations from the County Secretaries to delay the spring holiday for a week, the consultation period was extended by a further two weeks to allow for representations on the revised calendar options.

The Joint Consultative Committee considered and noted the consultation responses at its meeting on 11 March (see appendix 3) and is recommending the consultation dates proposed in Appendix 4.

It was decided to consult on a 194 term day calendar only for 2011/12 based on the results of previous years’ consultation. The proposed calendar specifies 194 days: 189 are pupil days and 5 days are staff development days to be chosen by each school within the 194 day envelope.