Consultation on the draft School Session Dates for 2016/17 and 2017/18

Overview

Resources and People Services (Education) are consulting on the draft school session dates for 2016/17 and 2017/18 

If you would like to comment on the draft school session dates please complete the online survey.

Why your views matter

Resources and People Services (Education) are consulting on the draft school session dates for 2016/17 and 2017/18 to seek stakeholder views.

We have recently been working closely with our neighbours in City of Edinburgh Council and Midlothian Council to look at harmonising the school session dates as far as we possibly can.

As a result of collaborative working the main school holidays i.e. Summer/October/Christmas/February and Easter align with City of Edinburgh Council for 2016/17 and 2017/18.

In 2016/17 there are four in-service days and one single holiday dates that do not align with City of Edinburgh Council, namely 9 January 2017, 20 February 2017, 4 May 2017 and 22 May 2017 (in-service days) and 16 September 2016 (holiday).

In 2017/18 there are two in-service days and two single holidays that do not align with City of Edinburgh Council, namely 9 January 2017 and 19 February 2018 (in-service days) and 15 September 2017 and 16 April 2018.

In relation to Midlothian Council, our main school holidays i.e. October/Christmas/Easter align with theirs for session 2016/17.  However, in terms of the summer holidays, Midlothian Council staff return on Thursday 18 August 2016 and pupils return on Monday 22 August 2016 and they have a shorter February break.

Midlothian Council are currently not setting their school session dates for 2017/18.

What happens next

Following the close of the consultion a report will be taken to the Education Committee on 22 September 2015 for approval.  Thereafter the approved school session dates for 2016/17 and 2017/18 will be published on the Council's website and sent out to schools.