East Sussex School Term and Holiday Dates for 2020/2021

Overview

East Sussex County Council is consulting on school term and holiday dates for the academic year 2020/21.  We would like to know your views on the proposed dates below and in the document attached.

Why your views matter

The local authority (LA) has a duty to determine school term dates for local authority maintained schools.  Schools must be open for 190 days in an academic year, 195 days for teachers.  Foundation, Trust, Voluntary Aided schools and Academies are responsible for setting their own holiday dates.  They may choose dates that do not match those set by the LA. 

A number of principles guide the pattern of terms and holidays:

• 190 days when pupils are in school (a legal requirement).
• 5 In-Service Education Training (INSET) days (a legal requirement). 
  The proposal recommends a common INSET day on Tuesday 1 September 2020.  Schools decide four further training days. 
• The LA will work with neighbouring authorities to match dates where possible. This minimises the impact on schools on LA borders; on families with children attending different schools and school staff with children at schools in areas other than where they are working. 

If authorities bordering East Sussex choose different dates, the LA will decide which to align with by prioritising the following principles:

• The need to maximise learning and revision time in the terms before SATs (Standard Attainment Tests in Year 2 and Year 6), GCSEs and post 16 exams.
• Easter and bank holiday dates.  Working parents often rely on these being part of school holidays to use annual leave efficiently.

We have shared our proposal with our neighbouring councils in Brighton & Hove, Kent, West Sussex and Surrey.

Foundation, Trust, Voluntary Aided schools and Academies decide their own term time and holiday dates. So there may still be variations across the county. We are including them in the consultation to unify dates across East Sussex as far as possible.

EAST SUSSEX PROPOSED SCHOOL AND HOLIDAY DATES 2020/2021

Schools would begin the academic year on 1 September 2020 and continue through until 21 July 2021 (last day of term).

*INSET Day

Your views on the proposal for School Term and Holiday Dates for 2020/2021 are important to us.  We welcome any suggestions you have for improving the school calendar in East Sussex.

To comment, click on ‘Online Survey’ below or email your comments to School.Consultations@eastsussex.gov.uk

What happens next