Information for parents and carers regarding the school calendar 2026-2027

Well, that’s the end of another term! Thank you for all your support over the past 11 school weeks since New Year, as always it is greatly appreciated.

Today’s blog is one of those functional ones, this time focusing on the term dates for 2026-2027 and therefore shared with as much notice as I could manage.

The term dates for 2026-2027 academic year are as follows. Whilst academies can differ from the dates set by local authorities and set their own term dates, at Helix we try to match local authority dates as much as possible. The 2026-2027 term dates therefore match the dates published on the Stockport Council website (see here). The term dates are also visible on the MHS website (see here).

Schools must then allocate training days, known as INSET days (IN–SErvice Training), within the term dates agreed. Due to the unusual nature of the term dates for 2026-2027, caused by a very late August Bank holiday and by the spring term continuing right up to Good Friday, three INSET days have had to be taken in late July in order to ensure school finishes at the usual time for the summer break. The last day of the summer term for students will be Friday 16^th July 2027. Staff will complete the necessary training on a number of evenings spread across the year, and so in effect school will be closed Monday 19^th to Wednesday 21^st July.

Non academy schools must set five INSET days, whereas academies can set additional days if required. Given the shape of the school year next year there is a need for additional INSET days, and in total MHS there will be 7 INSET days at Marple Hall School 2026-2027. This is essential in order to enable staff to prepare for the school year and to work together on projects such as responding to the coming changes to SEND provision and reviewing our response to proposed curriculum and qualification changes.

The INSET days for the 2026-2027 academic year will therefore be as follows:

Tuesday 1^st September 2026 (staff in school, students not in school)

Wednesday 2^nd September 2026 (staff in school, students not in school)

Friday 4^th December 2026 (staff in school, students not in school)

Friday 25^th June 2027 (staff in school, students not in school)

Monday 19^th July 2027 (Training completed by staff in advance, school closed to all)

Tuesday 20^th July 2027 (Training completed by staff in advance, school closed to all)

Wednesday 21^st July 2027 (Training completed by staff in advance, school closed to all)

I hope that this is all clear, and have a great Easter bank holiday weekend when it comes,

Best wishes,

Joe Barker

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