English school holidays
The English school year generally runs from early September to mid July of the following year. Most schools operate a three-term school year, each term divided in half by a short holiday commonly known as the Half Term break.
Autumn term runs from early September to mid December (half term falls in late October). Spring Term runs from early January to Easter (half term falls in mid February). Summer Term runs from Easter to mid July (half term falls in late May or early June).
These three terms are separated by two holidays, each lasting about two weeks. The Christmas holidays separate the autumn and spring terms and the Easter holidays separate the spring and summer terms.
The summer holiday begins in late July, and is usually about six weeks long. The local education authority[1] sets the holiday dates for all schools under its control. academies set their own dates, but often match the dates of other local schools. There may be days when individual schools are closed due to, for example, teacher training, bad weather or other unplanned events. Parents should contact the school directly with regards to closure, but general information on local school closures can also be found on local radio websites and often the local education authority website.
English Independent Schools
Independent schools (also known as "public schools" (age about 13+) and "private schools" or "preparatory schools" (under 13) in the UK) generally operate an academic year (Independent academic year) similar to the above, but often have shorter terms and longer holidays. Some international schools operate a different system using semesters rather than terms.
Impact on tourism and the economy
The timing of the English school holidays has a major impact. For example there is a marked reduction in road traffic at peak periods on many routes, leading to faster journey times. Unlike some other countries, England does not have a wide network of state-run school transport, and many parents prefer to take their children to and from school by car.
An important consequence of the timing of the school holidays is the pricing of holiday accommodation. Most schools naturally have a strict policy not to allow children to be taken out of school during term times. Parents could be issued with a penalty notice if their child is absent from school without permission. Penalty notices can be issued by local councils, headteachers (including deputy and assistant heads authorised by them) and the police, to parents who take their children on holiday during term time without getting authorisation from the school.
Many parents would prefer to remove a child/children from school during term times because there is generally a steep rise in the cost of holidays and holiday accommodation during the school holidays, due to increased demand. The English tourism industry closely monitors various websites that provide up to date school holiday information and will set their prices accordingly. Prices often drop by hundreds of pounds just a week into the new school term. A minority of parents decide to save money by taking a family holiday during the school term, at the risk of damaging their children's education and at the additional risk of a fine or warning from the school. Schools will only agree to more than 10 school days of absence in any school year in exceptional circumstances.[2]
School holidays in fiction
The Swallows and Amazons series of children’s novels by Arthur Ransome are all set in the school holidays, generally the long (August) summer holidays although some are set in Easter or winter. Term time was gone as if it had been wiped out. Real life was beginning again. [3]