NEW proposals for Hampshire schools term times have been given a Òtentative welcomeÓ by headteachers in the Petersfield area but Ògrave reservationsÓ have been expressed by a church leader who fears they threaten the celebration of Easter.

The first step towards consultation on a six-term year was given the go-ahead last week by Hampshire County CouncilÕs executive member for education, Don Allen.

The proposals include changing the current six half-terms into six terms.

ÒThis would benefit schools by giving regular periods of schooling throughout the year, rather than patterns of work,Ó said Liss Junior School headteacher Andy Burford. ÒRegular six-week blocks would help with planning.Ó

Other headteachers from around the Petersfield area agree with Mr Burford that the plans may be beneficial.

Alan Taylor-Bennett, headteacher of Bohunt Community School at Liphook, said: ÒThe most important aspect of the proposals is how they will make term lengths more uniform. The idea is not so dissimilar to what we have now, as some people are making out. There are good things in the proposals and it is worth exploring the advantages it may have.Ó

Liss Infant School headteacher Judith Harmsworth said: ÒThey have been talking about it for 30 years - I thought it was a good idea then and I think it is now. It would take an awful lot of stress and tiredness away from children and teachers and it would help parents when it came to holidays.Ó

Though summer holidays would still be five weeks long or more, Mr Burford also felt the move would help families to plan holidays and avoid taking children out during term time.

ÒTheoretically there should not be such demand for families to go on holiday during peak periods,Ó said Mr Burford.

One change that has not been greeted so well is that Easter may fall during term-time. Good Friday and Easter Monday would still be taken as holidays, but during term-time it would just be a bank holiday.

Monsignor Cyril Murtagh, priest of Liphook Catholic Church, said: ÒI am not competent to question the educational advantages of this but for Christians there is another aspect. Modern society has already destroyed Sunday as a Ôspecial dayÕ. This project may destroy Easter as a Ôspecial timeÕ.

ÒThere is in the background a possibility of a fixed date for Easter. The churches in the West have few problems with this suggestion, but the Eastern Orthodox have grave reservations.Ó

Questionnaires will be sent to around half a million homes across Hampshire in July as part of the huge consultation programme.

Other people to be consulted are headteachers, teachers and other school staff, governing bodies, parents and pupils, businesses and others affected by any changes to help the county council make an informed decision on the way forward for Hampshire schools.

It will include letters and questionnaires to schools, ÒfocusÓ groups with parents, a pull-out questionnaire in the county councilÕs magazine Hampshire Now, consideration by the Hampshire citizensÕ panel ÒHampshire ListensÓ, on-line comment forms on the county councilÕs website Hantsweb, and in-depth telephone interviews with a range of businesses, including childcare and early years providers, home-to-school transport operators and employers.

The new system would be broken down into two terms before Christmas, each one not to exceed 38 days (seven weeks, three days), with two-week breaks in October and over Christmas. The four terms after Christmas will all be limited to a maximum of six weeks.

If the proposals were adopted, it would not be until September 2004 at the earliest that they could be put into place.

ÒI would like to see it in operation before I give it wholehearted support,Ó said Mr Burford. ÒBut I think it would be beneficial.Ó

The new six term year proposals came from an independent commission set up by the Local Government Association.