PUPILS in Argyll and Bute are set to continue to enjoy more than a week off in February until at least 2029, a report has revealed.
Members of the council’s community services committee had previously questioned the need for such a long holiday so soon after Christmas, with the possibility raised of a longer summer break.
But a document to go before the same committee shows no major changes are planned to the school calendar for the three academic years from 2026/27 to 2028/29.
Term dates have already been set for the 2025/26 session. The calendar for the following three years will be discussed by the committee at its meeting on Thursday, December 12.
In a report ahead of the meeting, executive director Douglas Hendry said: “A consultation on the school holiday dates for 2026-2029 was carried out with school staff, parent councils, pupil councils and trade unions from August 12 to October 4.
“[A total of] 56.3 per cent of responses agreed that the pattern of school holidays and teacher in-service days that have been in place for the previous three years should continue.
“The majority of responses indicated a satisfaction with the current school holiday pattern and as such there are no major changes recommended to the holiday dates as consulted on.”
When the committee met in August 2022, former teacher Margaret Anderson said: “I accept that this has been consulted on and discussed, but for future consultations, we should consider the February holiday.
“When I started teaching in the area in 1977, and retired in 2012, the February holiday was two days long. What is the rationale behind an eight-day holiday?
“It is in a cold part of the year and most families will not be able to take their kids away on holiday. They are better off having holidays when they can be out playing and joining clubs. It seems a very strange time to have children off school for eight days.”
Council head of education Wendy Brownlie responded: “The establishment of a February holiday was part of the consultation process carried out three years ago for the last three years.”
Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess (SNP, Helensburgh and Lomond South) added: “We are staring down the barrel of a horrendous situation for energy and heating. During the holiday, parents not only have to look after their kids, but they are in the house using energy and heating.
“There has been a conversation about moving to a longer summer holiday – is that something that would be seriously looked into?”
Education officer Jennifer Crocket responded: “When the results came back to us in May, the people responding possibly did not know where we were going to be at this stage.”
Although he remains elected, Councillor Campbell-Sturgess is no longer a member of the community services committee.
