Decision details

       i.         To review and select from the options for term dates for the 2023/24 academic year.

     ii.         That Friday 1 September 2023 be set as an in-service training day for all schools.

    iii.         Noted that individual schools will set the remaining 4 inset days throughout the year.

1.     Term dates are not set nationally.

2.     It is a statutory requirement that the local authority set dates for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools.

3.     Academies and Voluntary Aided schools are free to set their own term dates.

There are 11 options that have been identified as follows:

Option 1 – Is the proposed Bracknell Forest dates in Appendix 1 (two formats Excel and Word). These dates have been consulted on with Bracknell Forest Schools and align with Wokingham and Hampshire’s proposed dates that are currently being consulted on by these local authorities.

The Bracknell Forest proposed dates are very similar to RBWM’s option 1, which the majority of schools have requested are determined. However, RBWM are still waiting for Bucks to confirm their dates before deciding to go with their option 1 or option 2. Should they determine their option 2, the Bracknell Forest proposed dates will not align with the end of the autumn term and the beginning of the spring term.

The Bracknell Forest proposed dates are also very similar to Surrey’s proposed option 2, but will not align with the end of the autumn term and the beginning of the spring term should they go with their option 1.

Option 2 –       Is the Bracknell Forest proposed dates as amended by Cranbourne Primary School. This would adjust the proposed mandatory inset day from 1 September to 4 September, create 3 extra school days on 18, 19, 20 December and create 2 extra holiday days on 22,23 of July.

Option 3 –  Is the Bracknell Forest proposed dates as amended by Uplands Primary School. This would adjust the proposed mandatory inset day from 1 September to 4 September, create 2 extra school days on 18, 19 December and two extra holiday days on 2 and 3 January. This option would have one school day less than the statutory 195, so an extra school day would need to be entered somewhere in the school year.

Option 4 – Is the Bracknell Forest proposed dates as amended by Crowthorne Primary School. This would adjust the proposed mandatory inset day from 1 September to 4 September, create three extra school days on 18, 19 and 20 December, create an extra holiday day on 2 January and create an extra holiday day on 28 March.

Option 5 –  Is the RBWM proposed option 1. This would adjust the Bracknell Forest proposed mandatory inset day from 1 September to 4 September, create an extra holiday day on 2 January and 2 extra school days on 24, 25 July. RBWM have not yet decided on which option to agree.

Option 6 –   Is the RBWM proposed option 2. This would adjust the Bracknell Forest proposed mandatory inset day from 1 September to 4 September, create 4 extra school days 18,19,20,21 December, create 4 extra holiday days 2,3,4,5 January and create 1 extra school day on 24 July. RBWM have not yet decided on which option to agree.

Option 7 –       Is the proposed Wokingham dates. This would require no changes to the Bracknell Forest proposed dates in Appendix 1. Proposed dates for both authorities currently align, however Wokingham have not yet confirmed their agreed dates.

Option 8 – Is the proposed Surrey option 1. This would create 4 extra school days on 18,19,20,21 December, 4 extra holiday days on 2,3,4,5 January and 1 extra school day on 24 July. Surrey have not yet decided on an option.

Option 9 –  Is the proposed Surrey option 2. This would require no changes to the Bracknell Forest proposed dates in Appendix 1. Proposed dates for both authorities currently align although Surrey does not set the mandatory inset day at the beginning of September. However, Surrey have not yet confirmed their agreed dates an option.

Option 10 – Is the proposed Hampshire dates. This would require no changes to the Bracknell Forest proposed dates in Appendix 1. Proposed dates for both authorities currently align, however Hampshire have not yet confirmed their agreed dates.

Option 11 – Is to wait to set our dates until all four neighbouring authorities have agreed and shared their confirmed dates. There is no statutory timeframe for these to be set so we do not know how long it may take each authority. The risk to Bracknell Forest is parents may want to start booking holidays and Bracknell Forest could receive criticism for not having determined term dates far enough in advance. There is also no guarantee that after all authorities have determined their dates that we will be able to align with all of them.

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