Number of students - new information

[A.E.B.Bevan at open.ac.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 27732

On the number of school days and consequent pattern of terms

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Steve Vander Ark" wrote:
> --- "Blaise" wrote:
> > The Leaky Cauldron has a link to the front pages of 'Premier' 
> > magazine.  Other figures are: 
> > There are 278 days in a school year.
(Steve)>Almost all of the information on that list is canon. The 
exceptions are the number of school days and the number of students. 

Well having been enervated over the Ennervate business and a thorough 
Lockhart of myself, some thoughts on school years lengths.

School year equals 273 days  Can I interpret that using British 
assumptions on `School Year'? In the absence of other indicators I 
suggest this is what Jo will have in mind especially as a parent.

Broadly school year is the number of weeks a school is in session 
inclusive of weekends (ie not the number of teaching days). Holidays, 
including scheduled half-term breaks, are excluded from this day 
count.

273 days is 39 weeks. That implies three terms of 13 weeks with 
adjustments for specific start and finish dates and moveable feasts.

Just for comparison look at my 13 year old Son's school year upcoming 
to see where holidays and so on might fit in.

His Autumn term is 4 September to 20 December, One weeks half-term 
holiday 22 to 29 October.  Total 14 weeks and 3 days around  this 
half-term break (ie excluding the half-term days from the count) . 
This however includes a one week `book week' where he is free from 
timetabled classes and can negotiate with teachers to  agree a 
personal  projects and read up for this.

Spring Term is 5 January to 28 March – that is 10 weeks 6 days. An 
early Easter in 2002 – in other years this term is longer and summer 
term shorter. One weeks half-term holiday 18 February to 25 February.

Summer Term is 15 April to 25 July. Half term from 1 to 9 June Total 
13 weeks 4 days.

Lets see 14 plus 10 plus 13 is 37 times 7 is 259 plus the odd days 
(13)  makes 272. Near enough to 273 days...

That's the framework I would assume for Hogwarts. We don't hear about 
half-terms in the Wizarding world so maybe they shorten these and 
lengthen Christmas holidays for example but 273 days looks just fine. 
If the figure  is actually Canon we can conclude– for example – that 
Harrys Summer holidays are a lot shorter that people from other 
traditions might assume. Hooray!

Edis