Shorter summer break plan in schools shake-up

Proposals to radically alter the school year, including shorter summer holidays and scrapping the traditional Easter break, were unveiled.

Supporters of the six–term plan claim it will help parents organise holidays and will eventually let students apply to universities with actual grades rather than predicted ones.

But a teaching union leader said the proposals had "no value" and insisted the longer summer vacation was "essential".

Nigel de Gruchy, general secretary of the NASUWT, also warned scrapping the traditional Easter holiday would lead to "condoned truancy".

The plans are aimed at evening out term lengths across schools in England following consultation among parents, teachers and education experts.

Standardisation means a two–week spring break would not always fall during Easter.

But the recommended new timetable would include flexibility for schools with religious needs.

Mr de Gruchy told PA News: "This is a lot of change for no value. At the moment we have got six half–terms and the pattern has been well established."

Talking about the proposed changes to Easter, Mr de Gruchy said: "It might be OK for the weekend. But there will be enormous parentally condoned truancy for the rest of Easter week. Everyone will still want a break there.

"The longer summer break is absolutely essential for teachers and pupils. They tinker with that at their peril."

He also said there was no need to change the school year to suit universities and claimed exams could be brought forward in the existing framework.

Set up by the Local Government Association, the Commission on the Organisation of the School Year was publishing the detailed recommendations today.

The Commission expects that by next Easter, local education authorities will have decided whether to implement the plans.

It wants 2003–04 to be a transitional year, with the school year starting on September 3 and finishing on July 16.

There will be breaks in October, February, and between late May and early June, in addition to the two–week breaks in April and December.

The following year will take a similar pattern but schools will start earlier on August 24 and finish on July 15 2005.

Under the new proposals the school year would start with a seven–week autumn term beginning in August, followed by a two–week break.

There would then be another seven–week term followed by a further fortnight's holiday for Christmas.

The first term of the new year would be six weeks' long ending with a one–week holiday.

There would then be two more terms separated by a two–week break for Easter.

The fifth term will end with a one week holiday and there will then be a final six–week term.

Exams would be held in the fifth term.