INDUSTRIAL action was threatened over attempts by local education authorities to introduce a five-term year. Nigel de Gruchy, general secretary, said teachers needed their six-week summer holiday. “If they don’t get it they’ll come back in September even more tired and exhausted.” The conference heard from Paul Mundt, a national executiv member, there was no sustainable education argument for shaking up the school year.
The Local Government Association has a committee of inquiry into the five-term year, operated by some city technology colleges and Woodlands primary school in Hull. No council has, so far, succeeded in making the change from three terms.
