NEWSFLASH: Schools in Melton set to have different term dates after council decision

We reported back in December that Mowbray Academy Trust, which includes the town’s John Ferneley College and Brownlow Primary School, will switch next year to the week after the traditional October break.

Pupils at other schools which are predominantly funded by County Hall, such as Long Field Academy and Swallowdale Primary School, will continue to take their half-term the week before, after today’s decision.

Some families have contacted the Melton Times to voice concerns that they will have children taking their half-term breaks on different weeks, which they say will ruin their holiday plans and affect arrangements for childcare.

The county council decided to retain the status quo following a public consultation, which asked parents if they wanted to change term dates and resulted in nearly three-quarters of respondents backing no change.

Councillor Ivan Ould, cabinet member for children and families, told today’s meeting that the government should be aware of the conflict being caused by academies moving school terms to different dates.

He said: “I have had a number of complaints from parents who will have children with different school holidays.

“When you consider the few responses we get from some of our consultations to get more than 6,000 for this one shows the level of concern there is on this.”

Councillor Blake Pain told fellow cabinet members: “The 6,000-plus respondents we got for this consultation is highly impressive and when three-quarters opt for a certain option it is appropriate that we support that option.”