School Holidays
Please note that 'date of closing' is the last day that children are in school and 'date of re-opening' is when children are expected back in school. INSET (teacher training) days are also listed at the bottom of the holiday list.
Cheshire East has a statutory duty to set term dates for Community and Controlled schools and clusters of schools may agree minor local variations with the Local Authority. Dean Valley is a Community school. We also liaise with local primary schools and Tytherington School when setting term dates and INSET days. Further information about school term dates can be found below or on Cheshire East Council's website here, including future academic year's term dates and the principles for setting term dates.
Please also note the legislation effective from 1st September 2013, which does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time. Please read this letter from Cheshire East Council which gives further information.
What does the law say about attendance at school?
The law requires all children between the ages of 5 and 16 to be in full time education. Under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 it is the duty of the parent/carer of a child of compulsory school age to ensure that they attend school regularly.
- Education Supervision Order Children’s Act 1989: The local authority can apply to the courts where attendance remains poor. A named education supervisor would be appointed to work with the family for up to 12 months to ensure that the young person receives full time education.
- School Attendance Order Education Act 1996: If this is issued; parents would be directed to register their child at a school named by the local authority.
- Penalty Notices will be issued for Term time leave: Penalty Notice fines will be issued for term time leave of 5 or more consecutive days.
10 Sessions of Unauthorised absence in a rolling 10 week period: A Penalty Notices may be considered when there have been 10 sessions of unauthorised absences in a 10 week period.
However, we retain the discretion to issue a Penalty Notice before the threshold is met. For example, where parents are deliberately avoiding the national threshold by taking several term time holidays below the above thresholds.
Per Parent/Per Child
Penalty Notice fines will continue to be issued per parent per child. For example: 3 siblings absent for term time leave, would result in each parent receiving 3 separate fines.
First Offence
The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for term time leave or irregular school attendance the fine will be charged at:
£160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days of the issue, reducing to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
(Unpaid penalty notices may result in a parental prosecution)
Second Offence
Where it is deemed appropriate to issue a second penalty notice to the same parent for the same pupil within 3 years of the first penalty notice, for either term time leave or irregular attendance the second penalty notice will be charged at:
£160 if paid within 28 days. (Unpaid penalty notices may result in a parental prosecution)
Third Offence
On the third time that an offence is committed within 3 years of the first penalty notice for either a term time leave or irregular attendance a penalty notice will not be issued. The case may proceed to Parental Prosecution under the Single Justice Procedure. If found guilty of the offence of ‘Failure to send a child
Further documentation:
Cheshire East Council - code of conduct regarding penalty notices
Cheshire East Council - helping your child attend school
Cheshire East Council - taking action to improve attendance
Cheshire East Council - taking children on holiday during term time
