Term Dates Consultation 2027-2028

Under Section 32 of the Education Act 2002 – in the case of community, voluntary controlled, maintained nursery or community special schools – the Local Authority (Coventry City Council) is required to determine when the school term and holiday dates begin and end, and the governing body is required to determine the times of the school sessions.

Coventry City Council believes that a standard set of holiday dates adopted by all Coventry schools will be better for school attendance, the organisation of admissions and for parents and carers arranging childcare and transport. The term and holiday setting procedure will continue for 2027/28 as in previous years and maintained Coventry schools will be required to adopt the outcome of this. The governing bodies of academy, free, foundation/trust and voluntary aided schools have the authority to set the term and holiday dates for their own schools but are requested to follow the local authority’s standard set of dates.

As part of a priority to align term dates with neighbouring authorities, Coventry has liaised with local authorities in the West Midlands region regarding their proposed term dates for 2027/28. Where term dates have previously differed across local authority borders, this has caused logistical difficulties (such as childcare for children who have different holiday dates). Coventry City Council is proposing one set of term dates for 2027/28, which are the same as those either proposed or published by other local authorities within the West Midlands region – including several bordering local authorities.

The current Coventry City Council principles and protocols were considered when setting the proposed term dates:

• A school year is 195 days, with 190 pupil days and 5 teacher days;
• 5 teacher days to be determined by individual schools;
• Statutory holidays are observed;
• Schools prefer, especially secondary schools, full weeks of teaching wherever possible;
• Schools prefer a full week break at half-term and two full weeks at Easter and Christmas; and
• Half-term holidays are set at the same time as those of neighbouring local authorities if possible.

Please review the proposed term dates for 2027/28 below then complete the short survey by 1^st December 2025 – comments are invited and will be taken into account before final dates are agreed and published.