Leicestershire’s traditional early “July fortnight” summer holiday could be scrapped under new school term proposals.
Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council are considering changes that would shorten the summer break to five weeks and introduce a two-week autumn half term.
Under the plans, the summer holiday would begin one week earlier than the rest of the country, rather than two.
Officials say the proposals could help balance the length of school terms and improve pupil attendance. However, they acknowledge many families value the early summer break as it can allow access to cheaper holidays.
They also say differences in term dates can cause difficulties for families with children at different schools, particularly in border areas such as Harborough.
A six-week public consultation will begin next month to gather views from parents and carers.
The changes would apply to state-funded schools in Leicestershire. While academies set their own term dates, most typically follow the pattern set by the county council, although some have moved away from the traditional calendar in recent years.
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