THE switch to a six-term year for schools in Hampshire could be delayed for 12 months.

Don Allen, the county's executive member for education, has approved the idea in principle, although it still has to receive backing from the county's Cabinet.

The Basingstoke Extra's sister paper, The Gazette, revealed on Friday how the aim is for the new school year to be implemented from September 2004. But opposition from teachers' unions and fence-sitting by other authorities in the South could delay that by a year.

Pat Lerew, chair of the county's teachers liaison panel, said there could be industrial action if Hampshire proceeds with the plan without further consultation.

At the same time, county authorities elsewhere in the South seem to be waiting for each other to act, before themselves coming to a decision on whether to have a six-term year.

Cllr Allen wants negotiations with neighbouring counties to take place so a unified approach can be adopted, and he says discussions with trade unions and teaching staff representatives should be held to resolve details of its implementation.

If those negotiations and discussions are not completed by next March then, he says, implementation of the six-term year should be delayed until 2005.

"I am convinced the benefits of adopting a six-term year will be significant in educational terms," said Cllr Allen.

"There are clear indicators that local education authorities in the South are looking for a lead and I believe Hampshire, as a large and successful LEA, should give that lead."

The new year would see two terms before Christmas, with a two-week October break, followed by a two-week break at Christmas and then four terms, limited to a maximum of six weeks.