School organisation varies depending on a number of factors including age group and type of school. Individual schools have some flexibility in arranging the school day, including establishing routines, devising timetables and planning holidays. However, you can expect some consistency, as each school has statutory guidance and local authority guidelines to follow.
The academic year
Most schools in England and Wales operate a three-term school year, with an extended summer break.
| Autumn term | September-December |
|---|---|
| Mid/half-term holiday | Late October/early November (one week) |
| Christmas holiday | Last week of December and the first week of January (two weeks) |
| Spring term | January-March |
| Mid/half-term holiday | Late February (one week) |
| Easter holiday | Late March/early April, subject to the changing date of Easter |
| Summer term | April-July |
| Mid/half-term holiday | Late May/early June (one week) |
| Summer holiday | Mid-late July and all of August (six weeks) |
Some schools divide the school year into five or six terms of equal length, with more, but shorter, holidays in between. Whichever system is in use, all schools must open for 190 days a year.
As a teacher, your statutory conditions of service require you to work an additional five days, which will be devoted to in-service education and training (Inset).
Inset days are an important part of your continuing professional development as a teacher. Usually taking place at the beginning and end of terms, they give headteachers an opportunity to bring staff together to work at developing individual skills and the quality of the school overall.
The school day
The school day usually starts between 08.30 and 9.00 and finishes between 15.00 and 15.30. The start and finish times of the school day and the length of the midday break are decided by the governing body of each school. There are no legal requirements regarding the length of the midday break, or the morning or afternoon sessions.
