This Executive Decision meeting of Waltham Forest Council considered the dates for school terms and holidays for the borough's schools for the academic years beginning in 2025 and 2026.

School Term Dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

The meeting considered a report entitled School Term Dates 2025-26 and 2026-27 (School Term Dates 2024 - ED report) by Pauline Smith, Head of Admissions Commissioning.

This report set out the school term and holiday dates for community, voluntary controlled, community special schools and maintained nurseries in Waltham Forest for 2025-26 and proposed dates for 2026-27. These dates are decided by the council in accordance with Section 32 of the Education Act 2002¹.

The report explains that:

The aim of the Cabinet’s decision to continue to provide guidance on recommended school holiday patterns is to help provide stability and consistency for parents and carers across the borough.

The report included the following appendices:

• Appendix A - Term dates 2025/26 (Appendix A - Term Dates 2025-26)
• Appendix B - Term dates 2026/27 (Appendix B - Term Dates 2026-27)
• Appendix C - Consultation Report (Appendix C - Consultation report)
• Appendix D – Consultation Responses (Appendix D - Consultation responses)
• Appendix E - EA Screening (Appendix E - EA Screener)