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School term dates

Setting school term dates

Devon County Council, like all local authorities have a duty to determine the school term dates* for community and voluntary controlled schools in their area. We recommend these dates for adoption by governors of foundation, voluntary aided, trust maintained, academies and free schools. We hope that for consistency across Devon, all schools will adopt the recommended term dates, however they do not have to do so.

*In previous years Devon’s calendar has been based upon the Local Government Association’s standard school year recommendation, but they no longer perform this role.

Find your school’s term dates and holidays

Term dates and holidays for individual establishments may vary so we recommend that you check your own school’s arrangements for the most accurate information.

The school year in Devon is split into three terms of autumn, spring and summer. Each term has two half-terms. During the school year, all schools are invited to nominate days when they will close for staff training – these are called non-pupil days or inset days – and for two occasional school holidays.

Term dates are set after consultation with all Devon maintained schools and representatives from union associations to establish 197 school days (including two occasional days and five staff training days).

Devon’s calendar has been created based on previous years’ calendars and through discussion with neighbouring authorities to ensure consistency across the South West (where possible).

Academies and free schools are not required to provide education for 190 days but the Local Authority encourages them to do so.

Non-pupil dates and opening times

All maintained schools are required by The Education (School Day and School Year) (England) Regulations 1999 to open for 195 days, of which pupils should attend for 190 days during each academic year.

Schools should set two days of occasional holiday and five staff training days from the 197 recommended by the LA.

Academies and free schools are not bound by these regulations but are encouraged to provide the same number of education days in each year.

It is recommended that schools set their occasional days so as to avoid split week holidays, wherever they fall, however, this is the responsibility of school governors, not the Local Authority.

Schools are asked to indicate their non-pupil dates and opening times to the County Council after the core dates have been confirmed and published.


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