Issue - meetings

This report recommends options for term dates and holidays for the school year 2009/2010, 2010/2011 & 2011/12, outlines the consultation responses from schools and the Teachers’ Panel, and reports on action taken by the Local Authority to align the dates with those of neighbouring authorities.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           Approve the pattern of school terms and holidays for 2009/10 as proposed in Annex 2 of the report;

(ii)   Provisionally agree the pattern of school terms and holidays for 2010/11 as proposed in Annex 2 of the report (Option 1);

(iii)       To set provisional dates for 2011/12 as proposed in Annex 2 of the report and officers be asked to bring a further report in 2010 confirming or amending those dates as part of a paper which sets dates to 2014.

(iv)    That Officers contact the Local Government Association at both national and regional levels requesting that consideration be given to the setting of regular term dates to provide a more consistency.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:To provide clarity for parents, schools and pupils on terms dates for City of York.

Members received a report which recommended options for term dates and holidays for the school year 2009/2010, 2010/2011 & 2011/12, outlined the consultation responses from schools and the Teachers’ Panel, and reported on action taken by the Local Authority to align the dates with those of neighbouring authorities.

The report presented the following options for consideration:

·  Option 1: To set dates for 2009/10 as per Annex 2 but to defer setting the dates for the ensuing years. 

·  Option 2: To approve the dates for 2009-12 as per Annex 2 with a decision to support one of the stated alternatives available for 2010/11. 

·  Option 3 : To approve the dates for 2009-11 as per Annex 2 with a decision to support one of the stated alternatives available for 2010/11 and set provisional dates for 2011-12.  

Members made the following points

·        There was a possible anomaly with holiday dates in 2010/11 which would affect part time workers;

·        The change in Easter dates caused major disruption to school terms;

·        Disruption and discontent can be caused with the movement of traditional holidays;

·        There was a need to co-ordinate term dates and holidays to provide consistency for schools and parents.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           Approve the pattern of school terms and holidays for 2009/10 as proposed in Annex 2 of the report;

(ii)   Provisionally agree the pattern of school terms and holidays for 2010/11 as proposed in Annex 2 of the report (Option 1);

(iii)       To set provisional dates for 2011/12 as proposed in Annex 2 of the report and officers be asked to bring a further report in 2010 confirming or amending those dates as part of a paper which sets dates to 2014.

(iv)    That Officers contact the Local Government Association at both national and regional levels requesting that consideration be given to the setting of regular term dates to provide consistency.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:To provide clarity for parents, schools and pupils on terms dates for City of York.