A TEACHING union is calling on education chiefs to give all Lancashire schools a six-term year.

Lancashire County Council rubber-stamped plans to bring in a new school year last summer.

From September, schools in its 11 districts will adopt a standard year comprising two seven-week terms and four six-week terms.

The overhaul severed the schools' connection with Burnley and Pendle's traditional Wakes Weeks, which saw schools break up earlier than others in July and after a short summer break, re-start in August before having further time off in September.

Now the Blackburn with Darwen branch of the National Union of Teachers wants education chiefs in the borough to follow suit.

Blackburn with Darwen Council currently operates a three-term year with pupils going back to school in September, January and April.

The NUT believes a major drawback of the current set-up means term times can vary each year, with the two-week spring break arranged to coincide with Easter celebrations.

Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25 as Easter is celebrated on the Sunday immediately after the first full moon after spring equinox one of only two times in the year when the sun crosses the celestial equator, making the length of day and night approximately equal.

Under the six-term year, the number of holiday days are the same, but the two-week spring-term holiday falls on a set date currently March 30 and is not moved to fit in with the Easter weekend.

And Simon Jones, secretary of the Blackburn branch of the NUT which accounts for over 1,000 teaching staff, said: "At the moment the length of terms changes to coincide with Easter.

"It can be difficult to plan lessons, with the length of time you have to deliver a project on a subject changing, depending on the year.

"By having set holidays and a six term year across Lancashire teachers who work in one council area but have children or partners who go to another local authority school, can plan their holidays much easier, avoiding disruption.

"If Easter falls outside the holiday Good Friday would be a Bank Holiday anyway. "

The Government says local authorities are free to choose their own term plans.

But Coun Dave Hollings, Blackburn with Darwen's executive member for education said widespread consultation would have to be sought before any decision was taken.

He said: "We consult every year with our schools and other stakeholders on the lengths of terms and will be doing so again this year.

"We would not want to make any fundamental changes to the nature of the school year without extensive consultations with schools and parents. "

A Lancashire County Council spokesman stressed its six-term model would "benefit pupils" and added: "Teachers will find it easier to plan lessons, stress levels will be reduced and help the authority and schools to recruit and retain staff."