Family Solicitors Ipswich – Should schools set their own term times?

‘There has been a largely unreported debate and research being conducted over whether state schools should have the ability to set their own term times. The Government wants to let all state schools in England decide their own terms and holidays from September 2015. Under this plan, local authorities would no longer be able to set school terms and individual schools could then change the timing and duration of terms and holidays. This would also present the possibility of schools reducing the total amount of school holiday from the current 13 weeks a year. Academies and free-schools already have this power but the Government wish to extend this to all state schools.

Parenting website Netmums carried out a poll last month for 4Children, a children’s charity which has been established for 30 years. More than three quarters (77%) of parents surveyed are concerned that major changes to school holiday dates will make it harder for parents with children in more than one school, and parents are worried that different schools may organise their holidays differently and in turn make planning childcare and activities together more difficult. While we do not yet know what the Government will decide, what is clear is that co-operation between neighbouring schools will need to be strong enough to allay the many fears parents have regarding these proposed plans.’

Amanda Crowe is a family law solicitor at Barker Gotelee, Ipswich Solicitors. Barker Gotelee specialise in school appeals.

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