Earlier Essex school summer holiday could save families money
Discussions to start holidays earlier to avoid peak travel costs
Essex schools could see a shift in the summer holiday schedule as members of Reform UK within the local authority propose bringing the break forward by one week.
The aim is to help families avoid the price hikes commonly seen during peak holiday periods.
A spokesperson for Essex County Council noted that the council is responsible for setting term dates for 127 community and voluntary controlled schools out of the 552 schools in Essex.
Academies, foundation, and voluntary aided schools have their own governing bodies or academy trusts that set their term dates independently.
The spokesperson confirmed that the term dates for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 academic years have already been established.
However, for the 2028-2029 academic year, the council will look into whether starting the summer holiday period one week earlier than usual is feasible.
The prospect of earlier summer holidays is centred on enabling families to secure holidays at more affordable prices.
No decisions have been made yet, and any significant changes to the usual arrangements would require consultations with relevant stakeholders, including schools and parents.
The council anticipates starting the consultation in January 2027.