PROPOSALS to increase the number of school terms in Lancashire from three a year to six -- reducing the long summer holiday in the process -- have predictably run into opposition from teachers.

Well, any change would interfere with the necessity of them having almost the whole of July and August off in order to prepare lessons, wouldn't it?

Give over! The long break is one of the job's attractions. And nice, paid non-work if you can get it.

But if, as the National Union of Teachers tell us, the current system has worked very well for a long time so there's no need to interfere with it, perhaps it is worthwhile to examine its origins. They lie in kids in Victorian times needing to be available to help bring in the harvest on the country's farms, rather than in any educational benefits.

And if, then, children's schooling will not suffer from shorter summer holidays, I am sure parents would welcome the switch as it would bring many of them welcome respite from having to see to the amusement and supervision of their youngsters while they have to work most of the summer -- unlike the stressed teachers.