Proposal to change term dates 2024-2025

I am using this week’s blog to highlight a consultation that has opened today regarding the school term dates for next academic year. Information about the proposal has been sent home to parents and carers today electronically, as well as being posted on the school website here.

The proposal is for a limited but (we think!) beneficial change to the published terms dates, specifically around the Christmas break of Dec 2024 to Jan 2025. As a maintained school we are obliged to follow the Stockport holiday pattern, available here: School term dates – Stockport Council

However, we believe that the following changes would benefit our students and staff:

1. Extend the Autumn term by one day, meaning school is open up to and including Friday 20^th December (rather than Thursday 19^th as currently planned)
2. Delay the official start of the Spring 2025 term to Friday 3^rd January (rather than the 2^nd as currently planned).

We would then use an INSET day to mean that the actual start date of the Spring term would be Monday 6^th January.

These relatively minor changes, which will mean the weeks either side of the holiday will be full weeks, will help is to maximise student attendance as we know that ‘split’ or ‘part’ weeks often lead to lower attendance overall. The changes will also provide the whole school community a prolonged break after New Year, which in recent years has proven popular and beneficial.

As a maintained school we are not able to make this change. However, as an academy we are able to do so, and as we will be an academy by the Autumn term we plan to make the changes outlined above. The reason for a consultation now is to give all members of the community as much notice as possible. Local Authority colleagues are aware of our plans and the rationale for consulting well in advance of the dates. The proposal is relevant to Marple Hall School only.

All comments are welcome via this email address: MHStermdates2425@marplehall.stockport.sch.uk

The consultation period is open now and closes on Friday 26^th April 2024. The MHS Governing body will then review all responses and make a final decision.

Best wishes

Joe Barker

Share!