Parents could face difficulties with childcare and booking holidays as councils across Wales fail to agree on school term dates.
Thirteen councils, including Cardiff and Wrexham want the 2027 spring half term to begin in early February, but nine others, including Swansea and Newport want it to begin a week later.
If this arrangement goes ahead, schools in neighbouring council areas would have different holiday dates, meaning families with siblings in different schools could be off at different times.
A consultation, published in early March, stated the Welsh government was considering using its powers to force schools to use the same dates.
If all local authorities proceeded with their preferred dates, schools in the following authorities would have half term between 8 and 12 February 2027, and break up for Easter on 19 March:
Meanwhile, these authorities would take their half term from 15 to 19 February, with Easter holidays starting on 25 March:
In addition, Powys council wants to start its summer holidays on 16 July 2027 – a few days earlier than either of the groups – before the start of the Royal Welsh Show, and make up for finishing the autumn term later than those in other areas.
“Having considered all the information, the Welsh ministers are minded to issue the direction subject to the results of this consultation,” the consultation document stated.
The Welsh government has proposed standardising the dates in line with the group which has more schools in it – so the February half term for all schools would run from 8 to 12 February 2027 and Easter holidays would start on 19 March 2027.
But it would allow Powys its earlier summer finish arrangements due to ministers’ “very high regard for the significant cultural and economic value of the Royal Welsh Show”.
“We consider harmonised dates will also benefit the tourism sector. We consider that those policy imperatives outweigh the desire to have different spring breaks taking into account the reasons that were given by the local authorities,” it said.
Anyone wanting to respond to the consultation has until 25 May 2025 to do so.