VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Schools: Academic Year

Asked by Jenny Riddell-CarpenterLabourDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 17 June 2025UIN 59269

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to grant local authorities greater flexibility in setting school term dates.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell

Local authorities already have responsibility for setting term dates for schools where they are the employer, including community schools, community special schools, voluntary controlled schools, pupil referral units and maintained nursery schools. These will be set in line with the requirements set out in the Education (School Day and School Year) (England) Regulations 1999.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim