Issue - meetings

To agree the school term and holiday dates for the 2013-14 academic year

Councillor Nathan Hartley in proposing the item, observed that the proposed dates were the same as those already announced by neighbouring authorities.  There had been consultation with teachers unions about the proposals.

Councillor David Bellotti seconded the proposal.  He observed however that the consultation had not listed parents, and asked that this be corrected for future years.  He also observed that because of in service training days, neighbouring schools might still have different days of opening despite the Council’s advertised dates.  He referred to paragraph 2.2 of the report and said that he felt parents should be allowed to take their children on holidays during term time, although he recognised that this was a minority view.

Councillor Hartley, summing up, replied to the points made by Councillor Bellotti.  He acknowledged that many schools did not consult directly with parents on term dates and agreed to take account of the point about parental consultation.  He also acknowledged that Head Teachers should have some discretion about whether to agree to term-time holidays if there were major socio-economic or other factors involved for the family.

On a motion from Councillor Nathan Hartley, seconded by Councillor David Bellotti, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To ADOPT the School Term and Holiday dates recommended for the 2013-14 academic year;

(2) To AGREE the importance of good school attendance and the link with good outcomes for children and young people; and

(3) To SUPPORT schools in encouraging parents to take holidays out of term time.