Agenda item - Assessing the impact of the term date pilot initiative

Report of the Executive Director; Families, Children and Learning (Copy attached)

RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed –

1.    To note that the decision as to the pattern of school holidays is delegated to the Executive Director Families, Children and Learning.

2.    To recommend that the Executive Director Families, Children and Learning notes the responses received to the survey monitoring the impact of the pilot initiative and sets term dates for community, voluntary controlled, community special schools and maintained nurseries in Brighton and Hove for the academic year 2019/20 which include only one week as a half term break in October.

63.1    The Head of School Organsiation gave a brief overview of the Impact on the term date pilot initiative. He stated that it was agreed that a review would be taken and a public survey would be conducted. 4490 response were received, of this 20% became more in favour of this since the original response however more respondents did not want to proceed with this pilot. It was emphasised that the lower class did not want to continue this as much as the upper class. A one week term date in October was recommended.

63.2    Councillor Philips stated she was pleased that the pilot was attempted and was impressed with the number of responses. She confirmed her understanding that families did not want to proceed with this.

63.3    Martin Jones stated that this was not a good idea in regards to education and emphasised that this was bad for parents who could not afford it.

63.4    RESOLVED: That the Committee agree

1.    To note that the decision as to the pattern of school holidays is delegated to the Executive Director Families, Children and Learning.

2.    To recommend that the Executive Director Families, Children and Learning notes the responses received to the survey monitoring the impact of the pilot initiative and sets term dates for community, voluntary controlled, community special schools and maintained nurseries in Brighton and Hove for the academic year 2019/20 which include only one week as a half term break in October.