INSET days — short for In-Service Education and Training — are days when schools close to pupils so that staff can receive professional development, training, or planning time. Most parents discover INSET days exist when the school calendar arrives in September. Here is everything you need to know before the next one appears.
Where does the term INSET come from?
The phrase dates to the 1980s, when a national programme called In-Service Education and Training for Teachers was introduced alongside the Education Reform Act 1988. The five teacher-training days the act built into the school year became informally known as "Baker Days" after the then Education Secretary Kenneth Baker, but the term INSET has long outlasted that nickname.
Today the formal name varies — some schools call them training days, professional development days, or staff development days — but the meaning is the same in every case: school is open for staff and closed for pupils.
How many INSET days are there each year?
Schools in England are required to provide 190 teaching days per year for pupils. The school year runs for 195 days in total, which means headteachers have five days to allocate as they see fit. By convention, most of these are used as INSET days, though schools retain flexibility in how they use them.
| School year days | Breakdown |
|---|---|
| 195 total days schools must be open | Required by government |
| 190 pupil teaching days | The minimum for pupil attendance |
| Up to 5 INSET/training days | Allocated by the headteacher |
The exact number per year may be fewer than five in exceptional years — if school closures occurred for other reasons, the headteacher has some discretion. But five is the standard expectation.
When are INSET days typically scheduled?
INSET days are spread through the year at the headteacher's discretion. Common patterns include:
- The first day of term — particularly at the start of the autumn term in September. Many schools use this day for year-group planning and safeguarding updates before pupils arrive.
- The last day of a half-term — releasing pupils a day early and giving staff planning or marking time at the end of a busy period.
- A single day mid-term — sometimes used for a whole-school training event such as first-aid refreshes, data-protection updates, or curriculum development workshops.
- Days adjacent to bank holidays — occasionally used to create a longer break, though schools must publish the dates well in advance.
Schools are required to publish their INSET days as part of the school calendar at the beginning of the academic year. Check your school's website or ask the office for the full-year calendar in September.
Are all schools closed on the same INSET days?
No. Each school sets its own INSET days independently. This means that siblings in different schools may be at home on different days, and children who live next door may have different days off. It also means two schools belonging to the same multi-academy trust may coordinate their INSET days — or may not.
What schools typically use INSET days for:
- Safeguarding and child-protection training (legally required to be kept current)
- Curriculum planning for the coming term or year
- Whole-school literacy or numeracy strategy development
- Data-analysis sessions reviewing pupil progress
- First-aid certification renewals
- Staff induction for new colleagues
- Mental health and wellbeing training for teaching staff
Do INSET days count towards my child's attendance?
No. INSET days are school closures, not absences. Your child's attendance record is not affected by INSET days because attendance is only measured on days when the school is open to pupils. If your child misses a day when school is open, that is recorded; an INSET day is simply not in the denominator.
What are parents supposed to do on INSET days?
There is no official guidance on this — INSET days are the school's operational decision, and childcare is the parent's responsibility. In practice, parents of younger pupils typically arrange one of the following:
- Informal childcare with family members or friends
- A local holiday or activity club that operates on INSET days
- Flexible working arrangements with an employer
- Bringing a child to work if the employer and workplace allow it
Parents who struggle with childcare on INSET days should speak to the school. While the school cannot change its INSET dates easily, knowing there is a pattern of difficulty helps the school give as much advance notice as possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take my child out of school on an INSET day?
There is nothing to take your child out of — the school is closed on INSET days. The question of authorised absence only arises on days when school is open to pupils. INSET days are entirely separate from the question of term-time holidays.
Does the school have to give advance notice of INSET days?
Yes. Schools are expected to publish their INSET days at the start of the academic year, usually as part of the school calendar issued to parents in September. Last-minute changes are rare but can occur — for example, if an externally delivered training session becomes available. Schools typically give as much notice as possible in these cases.
What if I am employed and cannot arrange childcare at short notice for an INSET day?
You may be entitled to take unpaid parental leave (up to four weeks per year under UK employment law) or request emergency dependant leave for an unexpected closure. Talk to your HR team or check your employment contract. Some employers treat INSET days sympathetically when they are given enough notice.
Do independent schools have INSET days?
Independent (private) schools are not required to follow the government's 190-day rule in the same way as state schools, but most operate a similar pattern of staff training days. Their term dates and INSET arrangements are set entirely by the school's governors, so check the school calendar directly.
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