Darwen Aldridge Sudell School

Term Dates

Term Dates

The pattern broadly follows the BwD term-time pattern and DACA term-time pattern to encourage parents not to take holidays during term-time.

School Term and Holiday Pattern 2026/2027

Autumn Term 2026

Tuesday 1st September                     Inset Day

Wednesday 2nd September            School re-opens to pupils

Friday 23rd October                            School closes at 3.15pm

Mid-Term closure                            Monday 26th October – Friday 30th October

Monday 2nd November                     Inset Day

Tuesday 3rd November                      School re-opens to pupils

Friday 18th December                         School closes at 1.00pm

Christmas Break                              Monday 21st December – Friday 1st January 2027

 

Spring Term 2027

Monday 4th January                            Inset Day

Tuesday 5th January                            School re-opens to pupils

Friday 12th February                             School closes at 3.15pm

Mid-Term closure                             Monday 15th February – Friday 19th February

Monday 22nd February                       School re-opens to pupils

Thursday 25th March                           School closes at 1.00pm

Mid-Term closure                             Friday 26th March – Friday 9th April

 

Summer Term 2027

Monday 12th April                                 Inset Day

Tuesday 13th April                                 School re-opens to pupils

Monday 3rd May                                   May Day Closure

Friday 28th May                                     School closes at 3.15pm

Mid-Term closure                             Monday 31st May – Friday 4th June

Monday 7th June                                  Inset Day

Tuesday 8th June                                 School re-opens to pupils

Wednesday 21st July                            School closes at 1.00pm

 

Inset Days

Tuesday 1st September 2026

Monday 2nd November 2026

Monday 4th January 2027

Monday 12th April 2027

Monday 7th June 2027

 

National Insets x 2 – Dates tbc

Total number of openings 193

Term & Holiday Dates 2025-2026

Autumn Term 2025​

Monday 1 September - School closed for Inset Day
Tuesday 2 September - School re-opens to pupils
Friday 24 October - School closes


Half term - Monday 27 October – Friday 31 October 2025
Monday 3 November - School closed for Inset Day
Tuesday 4 November - School re-opens to pupils
Friday 19 December - School closes at 1pm
​Christmas Holiday - Monday 22 December – Friday 2 January 2026

Spring Term 2026

Monday 5 January - School closed for Inset Day
Tuesday 6 January - School re-opens to pupils
Friday 13 February - School closes


Half term - Monday 16 February - Friday 20 February 2026
Monday 23 February - School re-opens to pupils
​Friday 27 March - School closes at 1pm
Easter Holiday - Monday 30 March – Friday 10 April 2026

 

Summer Term 2026

Monday 13 April - School re-opens to pupils
​Monday 4 May - Bank Holiday
Friday 22 May - School closes


Half term - Monday 25 May - Friday 29 May 2026
Monday 1 June - School closed for Inset Day
Tuesday 2 June - School re-opens to pupils
Friday 17 July - School closes at 1pm
Monday 20 July - School closed for Inset Day

Attendance and Holidays During Term Time

In order to reach their highest potential, we feel that constant, punctual attendance to school is vital. Research has proven that even short breaks from school can reduce a pupil’s chances of succeeding by as much as a quarter. The research is based on extensive pupil absence figures and both GCSE and primary school test results, and it highlights the importance of clamping down on pupil absence to ensure more pupils regularly attend school, and ultimately leave with the qualifications needed to succeed in modern Britain.

This research shows where pupils miss up to just 14 days of school are a quarter, they are less likely to achieve the required level or above in reading, writing or maths tests than those with no absence. The research also highlights the striking differences in achievement between pupils with the best and worst attendance records. It shows:

  • pupils with the lowest 5% of absence rates were more than 4 times more likely to achieve 5 good GCSEs, including English and maths, and 22 times more likely to achieve the English Baccalaureate, than pupils with the highest 5% of absence rates
  • pupils with no absence from school were nearly 3 times more likely to achieve 5 A* to C GCSEs, including English and maths, and around 10 times more likely to achieve the English Baccalaureate, than pupils missing 15 to 20% of school across key stage 4
  • And, most relevant to us, primary school pupils with no absence were around 1.5 times more likely to achieve the expected level of attainment, and 4.5 times more likely to exceed the expected level of attainment, than pupils that missed 15 to 20% of key stage 2

The government’s plan for education includes a number of reforms to encourage good behaviour and attendance in school, including:

  • changing the law so that headteachers only grant leave from school in exceptional circumstances
  • encouraging schools to tackle the problem of persistent absence earlier by reducing the threshold by which absence is defined as persistent from 20% to 15% from October 2011 - this means schools are held to a higher standard in performance tables than before
  • making clear teachers can use ‘reasonable force’ to maintain behaviour and extending their searching powers from 2011
  • As a consequence of this, we are unable to authorise any holidays during term time, unless there are exceptional circumstances.