A PROPOSAL to introduce a five-term school year is set to be scrapped in favour of a three-term year with a shorter summer holiday.
Nottingham City Council's executive board will recommend the move at a meeting on November 20.
The new proposal, known as the Nottingham Model, will include:
A three-term year
A five-week summer break
A two-week break in October
A fixed spring break.
The council says five out of eight teaching unions in Nottingham support the proposal. But only last week the NUT warned it could strike if the move goes ahead.
Councillor David Mellen, city council portfolio holder for children's services, said: "We firmly believe that these changes will help children at our schools with their learning – that is the fundamental purpose for introducing them.
"It will also help the many local families who struggle financially through the long summer holidays.
"We have listened and done all that we can to address the issues which were raised by the workforce and their unions during the consultation, while keeping the key benefits in place.
"While we welcome the support that we have from five of the unions, we hope that once the final decision is taken, the unions will work with us to ensure it is introduced smoothly."
If approved the Nottingham Model would be introduced for 2013-14 and 2014-15 initially, with a consultation on its continuation to take place in 2014.
The council wants to reduce a "learning loss" it believes some pupils suffer over the summer holiday and reduce the financial strain on families who face significant financial difficulties during the six-week summer break.
