AQW 50677/22-27
Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford
Tabled Date: 02/09/2026
Answered On Date: 09/09/2026
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail how his Department monitors the use of half days in schools.
Answer:
The Department’s Circular 2026/10 aims to set out, in one place, guidance for schools around operational days and hours which is underpinned by aged legislation. The Circular does not introduce new requirements but seeks to provide greater clarity and consistency for schools. The Department does not routinely monitor compliance with every aspect of the Circular at individual school level, including the use of half-days, staggered start arrangements or whether schools have provided the requisite number of teaching days. The Department's approach is underpinned by the principle that school leaders and Boards of Governors should be trusted to discharge their statutory responsibilities professionally and in the best interests of pupils. Boards of Governors are responsible for ensuring that schools comply with relevant legislation and have regard to Departmental guidance, including the requirements set out in Circular 2026/10. Schools are therefore expected to provide the requisite number of teaching days and minimise the use of arrangements, such as half-days and staggered starts, that reduce pupils' access to learning. Where concerns are brought to the Department's attention, these may be considered through the appropriate channels, for example the Education and Training Inspectorate will monitor compliance as part of the inspection process. Neither the Department nor the Education Authority routinely verifies the declaration made by schools within the annual school holiday return regarding the provision of the requisite number of teaching days. Responsibility for the accuracy of that information rests with the school and its Board of Governors. In relation to School Development Days (SDDs), in making provision for schools to access these additional non-contact days, the Department is clear that they must be used for whole school improvement activity including robust self-evaluation, review, planning and professional learning in support of high quality teaching and learning. On behalf of the Department, the Education Authority previously sought information from schools on the use of SDDs in order to support planning and oversight. However, this process was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic and preceding and subsequent periods of industrial action, when submission rates reduced significantly. The Department intends to commission the Education Authority to reintroduce these returns during the current academic year. This will support renewed oversight of the use of SDDs and help inform future planning for professional learning and school support. In relation to Education Authority operational days, officials have engaged with the Authority regarding the growing divergence between school opening arrangements and the days on which services such as transport, school meals and waste disposal are operational. The Department is considering options to improve alignment between school calendars and operational service provision and will continue to work closely with the Authority as this work develops. A public consultation on proposals for change will issue in the coming weeks, prior to any work to update legislation in this area.
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