The problem as far as I can see it is that the holiday companies will simply raise the price in October anyway, as they do in half term for example. So that will wipe out that particular advantage. In my school teachers also come into the school at the beginning of the Summer hols to clear away , and usually again before the start of the Autumn Term to prepare, safe in the knowledge that they still have a reasonable amount of time left to unwind and take an extended break. If that period were reduced to 4 weeks, for example ,in order to extend the Oct break the teaching staff would then be unwilling unless forced to give freely of their own time during the Summer. As far as the educational advantage I am simply not sure on that one. I think that the driving force is because so much ground is allegedly lost during the holidays that children have to re- learn and consolidate before moving on. Why is that a particular problem to English children? Other countries including America have not deemed it necessary to go down this route? Are our children more forgetful? I do know that out of a teaching staff of 20 only 2 teachers wanted the terms changed so it will not be at all popular in my school. However whatever the " Powers that Be " want will be brought in regardless. Carolyn