Consultation on Term Dates & School Day 2026

Since it was established, Brooke Weston Academy has offered a distinctive model, including a five-term structure and an extended school day.

The world of education has continued to evolve, and many of you will be aware of the significant challenges schools across the country are facing, particularly regarding school funding and the recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers. Although Brooke Weston Academy continues to be a highly desirable school, it is not immune to these pressures.

To maintain high standards and ensure the long-term sustainability of the school, Brooke Weston Academy needs to address these challenges and is therefore consulting on potential changes to both its term dates and the length of the school day.

No decision has been made, and the Academy is keen to listen to the views of its school community first. Your feedback is incredibly important.

The Challenges

The proposed changes are designed to secure the future of Brooke Weston Academy and ensure it can continue to provide the best possible education. The challenges under consideration include:

• The Academy’s unique five-term model makes it difficult to recruit talented staff who have families in other local schools operating on a different schedule.
• This also impacts the ability to attract and retain the very best teachers.
• The five-term model can create difficulties for families with children in different local schools.
• The current term structure can create challenges for students during exam periods, as national exams often fall during the Academy’s scheduled holidays.
• The extended school day places significant financial pressure on the school, as it requires additional resources and staffing compared with other schools.

The Proposals

Brooke Weston Academy is launching a consultation on two proposed changes, to take effect from September 2026:

1. Change to a Six-Term Model
   • This would mean holiday dates would align with those used by other Brooke Weston Trust schools, the North Northamptonshire local authority, and other schools in the area.
   • To retain some of its distinctive model, the Academy would plan to keep a two-week half-term break in October.
   • The total number of teaching days per year (190) would remain the same.
2. Shorten the Length of the School Day
   • The proposed new school day would run from 08:35 am – 15:05 pm.
   • This would ease financial pressures and allow the Academy to continue offering a broad range of support and opportunities.
   • Students would still receive the same number of high-quality lessons, taught in 65-minute sessions. Over their school career, this would ensure Brooke Weston students benefit from more classroom time than their peers locally and nationally.

Have Your Say

The consultation will run from Tuesday 30th September 2025 to Monday 10th November 2025.

• Complete the Online Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BWAConsultation
• Drop-in Session: Tuesday 28th October, 17:00, at Brooke Weston Academy Lecture Theatre.
• Email Feedback: Send comments to consultation@brookeweston.org.

Next Steps

All feedback received will be carefully reviewed by the Academy’s leadership team and governors. A final decision will be made before the end of the Autumn term (December 2025).

Thank you for supporting Brooke Weston Academy. We look forward to hearing your views.