School term dates are set following consultation with neighbouring local education authorities and staff association representatives.

In a school year there are 195 teacher days, of which five  school week-days are used as staff development days chosen by the head teacher, leaving 190 days for pupil attendance.

The local authority sets dates for maintained schools and voluntary controlled schools and these are recommended for other types of schools. However, academies, foundation, voluntary aided and free schools have powers to set their own term dates and we recommend that parents check with individual school websites.