How many inset days do schools have per year in England?

State schools in England are required to have five inset days per academic year. These are days when teachers attend training but pupils do not attend. Schools set their own inset dates and they vary from school to school, so if you have children at different schools their inset days may not fall on the same day.

Are parents given notice of inset days?

Most schools aim to share inset dates at the start of the academic year or at the beginning of each term. In practice, some schools are better than others at giving advance notice. If your school communicates via an app, email newsletter, or website calendar, check these regularly at the start of each term so you can note inset days as early as possible.

What are my rights if school closes unexpectedly?

Under UK employment law, you have a legal right to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to deal with emergencies involving your children - this is called time off for dependants. This covers situations like an unexpected school closure. Whether this time is paid or unpaid depends on your employer's own policy, so it's worth checking your contract or speaking to HR.

Can I use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for inset day care?

Yes, if you book care with a registered provider - such as an Ofsted-registered holiday club or childminder - you can use your Tax-Free Childcare account to pay. Tax-Free Childcare tops up every £8 you pay with an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year. Note that in-home babysitting via platforms like Bubble is not eligible for Tax-Free Childcare, as sitters are not Ofsted-registered providers.

What's the best option for last-minute inset day childcare?

If you find out about an inset day or unexpected closure at short notice, start with anyone in your existing network - a regular babysitter, a trusted neighbour, or another school parent. If that doesn't work, a childcare platform like Bubble lets you post a request and receive applications from vetted local sitters quickly - often within minutes, even for same-day bookings.