Schools to be given the power to decide their own term times

Currently local authorities are responsible for determining term dates and holidays in community, voluntary controlled, community special schools and maintained nursery schools.

However, the plans put forward in the Government’s Deregulation Bill propose moving responsibility from local authorities to schools’ governing bodies in England, giving schools more flexibility like academies.

Teaching unions have criticised the proposals, which they say will make it difficult for families with children in different schools.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teacher and Lecturers (ATL), said, ‘There whizzes another of Michael Gove's not so bright ideas. It will make it impossible to co-ordinate holidays for parents with children in different schools, those with children transferring from primary to secondary school, and for teachers with family responsibilities.

‘Michael Gove does not believe in regulation or co-ordination. The unfortunate consequences of his laissez faire approach are now mounting up - a mounting crisis in primary school places because of a failure in planning and coordination; the disaster of the rushed national curriculum; three botched attempts to reform GCSEs - and the list goes on and on.

‘But while Michael Gove will move on, his mistakes will remain and others will have to sort out the mess he has made.’

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said, ‘ If schools up and down the country set different term times it will cause chaos for families.