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Structuring the school year

Understand the rules around structuring your school year and what you need to consider, so your school year is compliant and runs smoothly.

Last reviewed on 10 January 2024
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 45550
Contents
  1. Your requirements
  2. Setting term dates
  3. Setting different term dates for different year groups

Your requirements

You must open to educate your pupils for at least 380 sessions (190 days) in each school year.

However, if your school is prevented from opening for 1 or more sessions and it isn’t ‘reasonably practicable’ to rearrange the sessions for another time, you're not required to make up the lost sessions. 

These requirements are set out in regulation 3 of the Education (School Day and School Year) (England) Regulations 1999.

These regulations don't apply to academies or free schools – see the 'Academies' tab for more details.

Rules on teachers' working days

Full-time teachers employed under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) must be available to teach pupils for the 190 days that the school is open.

These requirements are set out in section 2, paragraph 51.2 (page 48)