Many thanks to all who took the time to complete the consultation on the structure of the school year. This is now closed.
The consultation was requested by Governors, who will consider the outcomes when setting the term dates for 2026-27 and beyond.
The outcomes were as follows:
Responses returned: 112
In favour of maintaining the current structure: 83 = 74%
In favour of adopting the two week Autumn half-term: 14 = 13%
No preference: 15 = 13%
In favour of following Carlton le Willows if they change to the two week half-term: 56 = 50%
In favour of maintaining our current structure regardless of Carlton le Willows: 56 = 50%
Breaking this down a bit further, of the replies:
91% of staff favour the current pattern, 5% favour a change, 4% have no preference
100% of Governors favour the current pattern
75% of all parent/carers favour the current pattern, 16% favour a change, 9% have no preference
84% of respondents with any connection to Early Years or Key Stage One favour the current pattern, 14% favour a change, 2% have no preference
82% of respondents with a connection to Key Stage 2 favour the current pattern, 12% favour a change, 6% have no preference
81% of respondents connected only to EY or KS1 favour the current pattern, 17% favour a change, 2% have no preference
88% of respondents connected only to Early Years favour the current pattern, 8% favour a change, 4% have no preference
Of the respondents favouring a change, 7 were kind enough to add extra information. 100% of these related to the availability of holidays and/or matching holidays with a sibling’s school (or a school they work in themselves). We appreciate and understand these valid and relevant opinions.
To answer a couple of further queries and suggestions made, which may be of interest:
Our school year is no longer than anyone else’s. All schools have to be open to children for 190 days and 195 for staff. We are not currently doing extra days.
Nationally, the Nottingham/Nottinghamshire pattern is the unusual one. The ‘norm’ remains largely as we currently are here.
The future for Carlton le Willows is impossible for us to predict accurately, although we note that almost all of the many, many schools in their Trust (Delta) have the current pattern as they are situated in local authorities where this is the ‘norm’.
Given the exact 50:50 split around what to do if C le W did change, we would almost certainly consult again!
Some years, the way the calendar falls, the Summer holidays on the alternative pattern can be as short as 4 weeks. For example, in 2026, the Nottinghamshire pattern does not end until the 28th of July and schools return on the 1st of September. For comparison, we finish on the 17th of July – return date tbc, but likely to be the 2nd or 3rd of September.
We have considered shortening Easter and also lengthening the May half-term, but both of these would put us out of synch with absolutely everywhere! Tinkering with May is likely to be problematic around end of Key Stage 2 Statutory Tests, which have to be administered at a time set by the DfE around then. Easter is similarly tricky as it is so ‘moveable’ from year to year.
Finally, in response to the suggestion from a small number of respondents that the Head is driving this out of self-interest… this is not the case. The consultation was requested of the Head by Governors. It is widely known that Mr Hillier does not intend to be here for the 2026-27 school year onwards. It is therefore of no personal importance and accordingly he has not submitted a response of his own.