Brighton and Hove half-term change to help family holidays
Schools in Brighton and Hove are set to have a new two-week break to allow parents to buy cheaper holidays.
The city council said the new two-week October half-term, to begin in 2017, would help families spend time together without children missing school.
It said the break, from 14 to 29 October, had been designed to give families more flexibility to go away outside the peak summer holiday period.
It follows consultation with parents and carers earlier this year.
'Whack up prices'
Brighton and Hove City Council said it was also responding to national guidelines to head teachers, introduced in 2013, which did not allow them to grant any absence by pupils during term time without "exceptional circumstances".
Councillor Tom Bewick said: "Modern families come in all shapes and sizes and the reduction in the discretion available to head teachers is damaging.
"The introduction of a new week's holiday in term time is a positive step and I hope addresses the behaviour of travel companies who whack up prices."
The changes in school holidays have been made by adjusting the start and finish dates of the three main terms at all primary and secondary schools which come under the authority.
The council, which sets academic year dates for community, voluntary-controlled and community special schools, said it did not reduce the number of teaching days to achieve the change.
The new term dates will be reviewed after a two-year trial period.