School Terms and Holiday Dates 2025-26 and 2026-27
Perth and Kinross Council · 28 August 2024
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 28 August 2024 and its agenda
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Perth and Kinross Council Learning and Families Committee 28 August 2024 SCHOOL TERMS AND HOLIDAY DATES 2025/26 AND 2026/27 Report by Strategic Lead - Education and Learning (Report No. 24/239) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 This report sets out the future school terms and holiday dates for all schools in Perth and Kinross. This report outlines the considerations in determining these dates and consultation which has been undertaken prior to consideration by Committee. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: Approves the proposed schemes as attached as the dates for school terms and holidays for sessions 2025/26 and 2026/27; Approves the proposals for school closure days for In-Service and Occasional Holidays; and Notes the proposals for additional closure days for schools, where necessary. 3. STRUCTURE OF REPORT 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: Section 4: Background/Main Issues Section 5: Proposals Section 6: Conclusion Appendices 4. BACKGROUND 4.1 The scheme of dates for School Terms and Holidays must comply with the statutory requirement of 190 school days for pupils and 195 school days for teaching staff. 4.2 In line with guidance from the Scottish Government, consultation was previously undertaken with local authorities with the intention of trying to bring the holiday patterns of neighbouring Councils closer together. However, preferred local patterns and local decision-making means that complete uniformity has rarely been achieved.
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4.3 Prior to 2007, it had been determined the scheme of holiday dates ensured that both Good Friday and Easter Monday fell within the spring break. As Easter dates vary, this resulted in the spring break being taken at differing dates between mid-March and mid-April. 4.4 In a bid to standardise this break, other local authorities had taken decisions to ensure the spring break commences on the first Monday in April in each school session. Perth and Kinross Council Lifelong Learning Committee agreed in 2007 (Report No. 07/530 refers) that the same approach was to be adopted in Perth and Kinross from 2007 onwards. 4.5 As both Good Friday and Easter Monday are recognised public holidays for many parents and for Perth and Kinross Council staff, it was agreed that all future proposed draft schemes should continue to allow both Good Friday and Easter Monday to be school holiday dates wherever they do not fall into the standard spring break. Not all local authorities continue to allow both Good Friday and Easter Monday to be school holiday dates where they fall outwith the spring break. However, it should be noted that where it has been the case that Good Friday and Easter Monday has fallen outwith the spring break, it has not been positively received by many parents and staff to split these as separate holidays. 4.6 The Committee will wish to note that both Good Friday and Easter Monday in 2026 and 2027 fall within the proposed spring break each year and will be designated school holidays. 4.7 It should be noted that the May Day holiday continues to be a school holiday in both 2026 and 2027. 4.8 In June 2018, further consideration was given to trying to better align the school terms and holiday dates with our Tayside Regional Collaborative partners of Dundee City Council and Angus Council. However, it has not been possible for Perth and Kinross Council to completely align with both Councils where they have both set different dates. 4.9 The established pattern of dates continues to provide operational and logistical benefits in addition to better balancing the autumn and winter terms. Consultation undertaken had identified from Headteacher’s concerns regarding the previous pattern of dates with the impact on the interruption to pupils’ learning with the October break taking place so close to the schools returning in August and with the autumn and winter terms being unevenly balanced. 4.10 In addition, significant issues have arisen for parents and staff where there was no commonality or any overlap between neighbouring local authorities in setting the holiday dates.
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This had resulted in teaching staff living and working in different authority areas having completely different holidays to their own children and the same for parents who live and work in different authorities. A number of children attend schools in neighbouring authorities, particularly at secondary school, which left parents having primary and secondary children with different holiday dates depending on where they attended school. This presented both parents and staff with significant childcare issues in addition to the difficulties of organising family holidays. Operationally, shared school transport and school day only service buses can also be affected by different authority holiday dates. 4.11 Following feedback regarding the previous pattern of In-Service days which had operated for a number of years with no In-Service day in Term 4, thus not providing an In-Service day between February and August, it was agreed in 2022 to amend the pattern of In-Service days to ensure an In-Service day takes place in Term 4. The pattern of In-Service days for 2025/26 and 2026/27 continues to reflect this and will operate with one In-Service day in Term 1, two In-Service days in Term 2, and one In-Service day in Term 3 and Term 4. 4.12 There are a number of challenges and considerations which require to be addressed in the setting of the In-Service day in Term 4. Whilst many schools prefer this to be taken at the end of the Easter holidays, this causes difficulties for secondary school staff in respect of SQA preparations. Additionally, serious consideration requires to be given to the SQA timetable and the requirement for pupils to be able to attend schools for examinations, as school transport does not operate on In-Service days. Therefore, the pattern of In- Service days for 2025/26 and 2026/27 reflects this. 4.13 The proposed scheme of dates for sessions 2025/26 and 2026/27 continues to reflect and address these issues as best they can and are shown as Appendix 1 (School Terms and Holidays 2025/26) and Appendix 2 (School Terms and Holidays 2026-2027). Attached at Appendix 3 (Holiday Dates across Local Authorities 2025/26) and Appendix 4 (Holiday Dates across Local Authorities 2026-2027) is the comparison of holiday dates for all neighbouring local authorities, where these are known. 5. PROPOSALS 5.1 It is proposed to agree the school terms and holidays for 2025/26 and 2026/27. This allows notification of school terms and holidays to assist in forward planning of family holidays for parents and staff. This proposal also assists in the forward planning and notification of In-Service Training days to staff and parents. 5.2 Education and Learning will provide schools with guidance and clarity regarding the purpose and content of the five In-Service days, ensuring that
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schools are aware of the expectations of how these days are to be planned and will be used. 5.3 The Committee should note that it may be necessary to include additional closure days for any additional In-Service days and/or Public Holidays notified by the Scottish Government. It can also be necessary to include additional closure days for particular schools to facilitate school moves and decant arrangements. These are organised on an individual basis dependant on the needs of the school(s) involved. 5.4 Additional closure days may be organised in accordance with the terms of the powers available under Section 133 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, where Scottish Ministers are content to allow exceptional school closures. The Strategic Lead - Education and Learning will seek approval from the Scottish Government on an individual school basis as required and notify parents etc as appropriate. All other appropriate management arrangements will be considered prior to seeking Scottish Government approval for additional closure days. 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 Perth and Kinross Council’s pattern of holiday dates provides commonality with our neighbouring Councils, in particular Dundee, Angus and Fife, and certainty for parents and staff regarding the timing of the established patterns of the Easter and October breaks which provides operational and logistical benefits. Author Name Designation Contact Details Karen Robertson Service Manager (Business Services) FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk 01738 475000 Approved Name Designation Date Sheena Devlin Strategic Lead - Education and Learning 17 August 2024
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ANNEX 1. IMPLICATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION Strategic Implications Yes/None Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial No Workforce No Asset Management (land, property, IST) No Assessments Equality Impact Assessment No Strategic Environmental Assessment No Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) No Legal and Governance No Risk No Consultation Internal Yes External No Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement in terms of the following priorities: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No (ii). Corporate Plan 1.2 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the achievement of the Council’s Corporate Plan Objectives: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No (ii).
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1.3 The report also links to the Education & Children’s Services Vision, Values and Priorities in respect of the following key Priority area: Learning and Achievement 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 Not applicable. Workforce 2.2 Not applicable. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 Not applicable. 3. Assessments Equality Impact Assessment 3.1 Under the Equality Act 2010, the Council is required to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between equality groups. Carrying out Equality Impact Assessments for plans and policies allows the Council to demonstrate that it is meeting these duties. 3.1.1 The proposals have been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: (i) Assessed as not relevant for the purposes of EqIA. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.2.1 The matters presented in this report were considered under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 and no further action is required as it does not qualify as a PPS as defined by the Act and is therefore exempt. Sustainability 3.3 Under the provisions of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, the Council has to discharge its duties in a way which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. Under the Climate Change
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(Scotland) Act 2009 the Council also has a duty relating to climate change and, in exercising its functions must act: In the way best calculated to delivery of the Act’s emissions reduction targets. In the way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaption programmes. In a way that it considers most sustainable. 3.3.1 Not applicable. Legal and Governance 3.4 The Strategic Lead - Legal and Governance has been consulted in the preparation of this report. 3.5 Not applicable. Risk 3.6 Not applicable. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 Headteachers, Business Managers and Trade Unions have been consulted in the preparation of this report. The draft proposals have been considered and agreed by the Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff (JNCT). External 4.2 Not applicable. 5. Communication 5.1 If Committee approves the draft scheme of dates, these will be issued to all schools for communicating in their newsletters to parents and staff, and for publication on school websites and school handbooks, as well as publication on the Council website. 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS 2.1 No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (other than any containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to any material extent in preparing the above report.
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3. APPENDICES 3.1 Appendix 1 - School Terms and Holidays 2025/26 Appendix 2 - School Terms and Holidays 2026/27 Appendix 3 - Holiday Dates Across Local Authorities 2025/26 Appendix 4 - Holiday Dates Across Local Authorities 2026/27