Isle of Wight brings back two-week half-term

Many islanders who work in the seasonal tourism industry said they favoured the change

Schools on the Isle of Wight will have a two-week long half-term break in the autumn, following a council decision.

The island's council's cabinet approved plans for the October break to be extended by one week and the summer break shortened by a week.

A consultation showed the majority of islanders were in favour of the fortnight autumn break.

The change comes into effect for the 2023/24 academic year, with a break between 23 October and 3 November.

Islanders were given three options for the half-term break - extend it to two weeks or one-and-a-half weeks, or stick with the current single week.

Isle of Wight Council said it had 3,250 responses, "with the majority (57%) indicating a preference for an extended autumn half term holiday".

The council previously brought in the two-week October half term for the 2019/20 academic year. It reverted to a one-week half term for this year.

Many who responded to the consultation said the change would help them as they were in seasonal jobs on the island, others said it would allow a family holiday during off-peak times.

The change does not affect academies and free schools which currently have the power to set their own term dates.

The 2023/24 term date will be:

• Autumn term 2023: 1 September 2023 to 19 December, with half-term from 23 October to 3 November

• Spring term 2024: 2 January 2024 to 28 March 2024, with half-term from 12 February to 16 February

• Summer term 2024: 15 April to 26 July, with half-term from 27 May to 31 May