Suffolk LEA is consulting schools on the following proposals for a change to a six-term year. It is basically the same as the present three-term year with some "half-term" holidays extended. 2003 - 2004 would be a transition year, the shorter summer holiday starting in 2004. Terms will be of a more regular length and some "half-term" holidays will be extended. Most of the pay-back is deleted from the Summer Holiday. From 2004 onwards, the Autumn Terms will start in August. Proposed term dates are:
| Term / School closure period | Start | End | Teaching Days | Holidays |
| Autumn Term 1 2003 | Mon 1 Sept | Fri 24 Oct | 40 | |
| October Holiday 2003 | Mon 27 Oct | Fri 31 Oct | 5 | |
| Autumn Term 2 2003 | Mon 3 Nov | Fri 19 Dec | 35 | |
| Christmas Holiday 2003-2004 | Mon 22 Dec | Fri 2 Jan | 10 | |
| Spring Term 1 2004 | Mon 5 Jan | Fri 13 Feb | 30 | |
| February holiday 2004 | Mon 16 Feb | Fri 20 Feb | 5 | |
| Spring Term 2 2004 | Mon 23 Feb | Fri 2 April | 30 | |
| Easter Holiday 2004 | Mon 5 April | Fri 16 April | 10 | |
| Summer Term 1 2004 | Mon 19 April | Fri 28 May | 29 | |
| Whitsun Holiday 2004 | Mon 31 May | Fri 4 June | 5 | |
| Summer Term 2004 | Mon 7 June | Mon 19 July | 31 | |
| =195 | =35 |
The main effects of the new arrangements are apparent from 2004 onwards:
| Term / School closure period | Start | End | Teaching Days | Holidays |
| Term 1 (2004) | Tues 24 August | Fri 15 October | 38 (Bank Holiday 30 Aug) | |
| October Holiday 2004 | Mon 18 Oct | Fri 29 Oct | 10 | |
| Term 2 (2004) | Mon 1 Nov | Tue 21 Dec | 37 | |
| Christmas Holiday 2004-2005 | Wed 22 Dec | Tue 4 Jan | 10 | |
| Term 3 (2005) | Wed 5 Jan | Fri 11 Feb | 28 | |
| February holiday 2005 | Mon 14 Feb | Fri 18 Feb | 5 | |
| Term 4 (2005) | Mon 21 Feb | Fri 1 April | 28 (Bank Holidays 25 & 28 March) | |
| Easter Holiday (2005) | Mon 4 April | Fri 15 April | 10 | |
| Term 5 (2005) | Mon 18 April | Fri 27 May | 29 (Bank Holidays 2 & 30 May) | |
| Whitsun Holiday 2005 | Mon 30 May | Fri 3 June | 5 | |
| Term 6 (2005) | Mon 6 June | Fri15 July | 30 | |
| =190 (* Does not include PD Days) | =*40 |
* The five PD (non-pupil days) days are not included in the above dates for 2004-05. The only way would be to eat into the holidays. This could lead to very short Christmas or Easter breaks or starting even earlier in August.
Post your views on www.suffolknut.org.uk or attend your local NUT meetings!