Consultation on the Pattern of School Term Dates and Holidays from 2015/16 to 2019/20

Education, Learning & Leisure

The current pattern of school term dates, holidays and In Service days is set until July 2015.

Aberdeenshire Council has developed a draft calendar for the next five years and wants to hear the views of parents, carers, pupils, staff and the wider public before the dates are finalised.

Firstly we would like to ask 3 questions about some general principles that we have used for planning term dates.

The questions after that will give you an opportunity to comment on the draft calendar for each of the five sessions.

Please return your completed form to:

Rachael Goldring,

Aberdeenshire Council

Education, Learning and Leisure,

Woodhill House,

Westburn Road,

Aberdeen,

AB16 5GB.

The survey will be open until Friday 4th April 2014.

The Education, Learning and Leisure Committee of Aberdeenshire Council will consider the results of this survey at theirmeeting in May 2014 at which stage they will hopefully approve the final set of term dates.

BASIC PRINCIPLES

When the last pattern of term dates was agreed, the ‘Easter’ holidays were fixed to the first two full weeks in April, and are no longer dependent on when Good Friday and Easter Monday fall.

We would like to continue with having fixed holidays in April, and a number of other councils in Scotland are also trying to put this in place.

Do you think that we should have fixed holidays in the first two full weeks of April for the next five years?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Any Comments

We try wherever possible to avoid starting or finishing a term part way through a week.

Do you think we should continue to have full weeks where possible at the start and end of term?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Any Comments

Aberdeenshire Council tries to have school holidays at the same time as neighbouring councils, in particular Aberdeen City Council.

This is to help families who live in Aberdeenshire but who work in Aberdeen, and also those who live in Aberdeenshire but are zoned to an AberdeenCity secondary school. There are many families where theyounger children are at an Aberdeenshire primary school and older children attend AberdeenCity secondary schools.

Do you think we should continue to have our holidays at the same time as other councils where possible?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Any Comments

On the next pages you will see the planned pattern of term dates for each session and be asked if you agree with them.

2015/16Session

Notes:

Good Friday Public Holiday (25/3/16) is separate to the ‘Easter’ holiday fortnight.
Additional days added to Christmas break to avoid return on 4 Jan ‘16
Due to length of Christmas break and an early Good Friday, no additional occasional days to be taken this session
Six week summer break before session 2016/17

Do you agree with the term dates and holiday pattern for the 2015/16session?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Do you have any comments that you would like to make about the above term dates and holiday plan?

2016/17Session

Notes:

a)Easter Sunday is last weekend of Easter holidays. Good Friday public holiday therefore added in lieu as last day of Easter holiday (17/04/17).

b)Winter term runs right up until 23rd December, therefore later return in January 2017

c)Seven week summer holiday before session 2017/18starts on 21/08/17.

Do you agree with the term dates and holiday pattern for the 2016/17session?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Do you have any comments that you would like to make about the above term dates and holiday plan?

2017/18Session

a)Notes:

b)Easter Sunday falls on first Sunday of Easter holidays. Good Friday public holiday included as additional first day of Easter holiday.

c)Winter term runs right up to 22 December 2017 therefore slightly later start in January 2018

d)Six week summer holiday before session 2018/19starts on 20/08/18

Do you agree with the term dates and holiday pattern for the 2017/18session?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Do you have any comments that you would like to make about the above term dates and holiday plan?

2018/19Session

Notes:

Good Friday public holiday (19 April 19) falls after the Easter holiday
Six week summer holiday before session 2019/20starts on 19/08/20

Do you agree with the term dates and holiday pattern for the 2018/19session?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Do you have any comments that you would like to make about the above term dates and holiday plan?

Education, Learning & Leisure

2019/20Session

Notes:

Easter Sunday falls on the middle weekend of the Easter holiday. An additional occasional day has been identified in lieu of Good Friday.
Six week summer holiday with session 2020/21likely to start on 17/08/20

Do you agree with the term dates and holiday pattern for the 2019/20session?

Yes

No

Not Sure

No Preference

Do you have any comments that you would like to make about the above term dates and holiday plan?

Thank you for taking part in this survey. We value your input.