11.8 The School Year
Second level schools are required to be in operation for 179 days during the school year. This number includes 12 days during which the state examinations are taking place.
The Department of Education Circular Letter 29/95 outlines the required time in school as: ‑
§ 167 teaching days in the school year;
§ 28 hours is the minimum number of instruction hours per week.
The following school closures are included in the 167 days referred to above: ‑
- days on which the school is closed owing to bad weather or epidemic;
- special in-service days where the Department of Education and Science has given advance approval;
- special free days granted by the Minister for Education and Science to mark a special occasion or event.
N.B. School must be in operation for a minimum of three hours on any given day if the day is to count as a school day.
Standard arrangements for the opening of schools during the school years 2004 – 2007 have been agreed and are set out in DES CL M21/04. All schools are obliged to conform to the arrangement outlined in this CL.