Easter is early in 2027, falling on 28 March, and councils across Wales have failed to come to an agreement on how the school term dates should fall to accommodate the two Easter Bank Holiday dates.
Thirteen councils, including Bridgend want half term between 8 and 12 February 2027, breaking up for Easter on 19 March.
Meanwhile nine councils, including Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire wish to take their half term from 15 to 19 February 2027, with Easter holidays starting on 25 March.
Those date inconsistencies mean a week’s difference to when schools across Wales would start the summer term in 2027. Schools in neighbouring areas could have different holiday dates, meaning families with children in schools in different counties could be off at different times.
This could cause headaches for parents organising childcare and holidays.
The Welsh Government have launched a consultation to decide whether to use its powers to force schools to use the same dates. It has proposed standardising the dates in line with the ones the majority of councils have selected. This would mean changes for pupils in Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
In its consultation, the Welsh Government said: “Welsh ministers consider the term dates submitted for 2026 to 2027 are not the same or as similar as can be. Therefore the Welsh ministers wish to consider using their powers of direction under the 2002 act to ensure that term dates are as similar as can be across Wales.”
“Easter falls relatively early in 2027, and authorities have chosen to organise their spring term differently to accommodate the two bank holidays associated with Easter.
The report said the proposals aimed to “eliminate differences in dates which may cause hardship to parents and staff alike” and “consider harmonised dates will also benefit the tourism sector”.
Separate arrangements are being made for children in Powys schools to accommodate the Royal Welsh Show due to its “significant cultural and economic value”.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, said: “Families across Wales are now facing uncertainty and unnecessary stress over differing school holiday dates. Holiday patterns in Wales already differ from the rest of the UK, causing undue problems for families.
“Parents with children in different schools will be wondering how they’ll manage childcare, book holidays and juggle commitments, all because Welsh Labour sat on their hands while Labour-run councils made conflicting decisions. Following Labour’s previous attempt to drastically alter the summer holidays in Wales by reducing the duration of the summer break, which faced tremendous backlash, this is yet another example of Labour failing Welsh families.
“For a Labour government that proudly claims that things will change in Wales with a Labour government on both sides of the M4, it is about time the Welsh Labour Government intervenes urgently to ensure a joined-up approach exists in Schools all across Wales, so parents can be on the same page and going forward this change doesn’t negatively impact children, parent’s or the tourism sector.”
