Some Suffolk schools announce extending autumn half-term

Following the consultation, Unity School Partnership has found that the majority of staff and parents were in favour of the two-week half-term which will run from Monday, October 28 to Friday, November 8.

Tim Coulson, chief executive of Unity Schools Partnership, said: “We would like to thank every person who took part in the two consultations and have given us their feedback and comments since we trialled the initial two-week half term in October.

Tim Coulson, Chief Executive of the Unity Schools Partnership (Image: Unity Schools Partnership/Dave Gooderham)

“While a majority of staff and parents were in favour of the two-week half term, we acknowledge and take seriously all those comments from individuals not in favour of the proposal.

“Although there are various views, the two most significant are the cost of childcare and how learning time is made up.

“We plan again to organise additional childcare during the second week of this half-term break and individual school headteachers will explain how the learning time will be effectively addressed.

“As with every trust and school across the country, staff recruitment and retention is a challenge."

The second round of consultation, which was launched last month, saw the trust receive 2,929 responses from parents with 58% in favour of a two-week break and 42pc against the proposal.

In addition, 1,079 responses were received from staff with 89pc in favour of the two-week break.

The trial of the two-week half-term found that between the half-term break and Christmas pupil absence due to illness was less in every school in the trust in 2023 than in 2022, and overall reduced by 25%.

Staff absence was also down 50%.

Unity School Partnership oversees schools such as Thomas Gainsborough School in Great Cornard, Felixstowe School, Newmarket Academy, Breckland School in Brandon and Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill.