An Isle of Wight councillor is calling on others to support his motion to reverse a decision that reversed another decision about school term dates for 2022-23.
In June 2020, the then-Conservative administration agreed school term dates with a two-week break for the October half-term for the 2021/22 school year.
One year later and a change of those in charge at County Hall saw the Alliance Group revert the October half-term for the 2022/23 school year back to one week.
This was despite the council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee agreeing that more consultation should be held with parents.
Brading: Two week break followed extensive consultation
Cllr Paul Brading (Con), the former Isle of Wight council Cabinet member for education and children’s services, will be asking councillors to support a reversal of that decision at next week’s full council meeting (Wed 17th Nov).
His motion reads:
Full Council notes that:
1. The Cabinet decided on 15th July 2021 to reverse a previous decision which had already approved the calendar for School Term Dates for the academic year 2022-23, with new dates which included a reversion to a one-week October half-term.
2. This decision was taken following conversations with some headteachers, but not with any parents or students or directly with any other school staff.
Full Council recognises that:
3. Whilst there are different views as to the merits of this change, the two week October half term was brought in following an extensive consultation. Whilst it still remains possible to now reverse the July decision for the 2022-23 academic year, as schools and families will already have started to plan based on this calendar of School Term Dates, it would be more prudent to leave it as is for this year.
4. It is, however, regrettable that there was not wider consultation, to include parents and students ahead of this decision – particularly the scrapping of the two-week October half-term.
5. Many families will have recently enjoyed the many benefits offered by the two-week October half-term, which they will now not be able to do next year.
6. There is merit in looking again at the structure of School Term Dates for subsequent academic years (2023-24 onwards), and an opportunity should be provided for parents, students and other school staff (as well as headteachers) to offer their views directly to the Council, ahead of a decision.
Full Council therefore requests that:
7. The relevant Cabinet Member bring a paper to Cabinet early in 2022 setting out how the Council intends to undertake a meaningful consultation with relevant stakeholders on future School Term Dates (2023-24 onwards).
8. Any such consultation should ensure that stakeholders are given a genuine choice between different options, including one which includes a reversion to a two-week October term. Views should be sought as to the pros and cons of the different options, looking at both education and other reasons such as wellbeing and quality of life.
9. The feedback received from this consultation is taken into account ahead of any Cabinet decision to approve a calendar for School Term Dates for the academic year 2023-24
