SCHOOLS in Kent will not be moving to a six-term year - at least not yet.

County education chiefs say that Kent County Council will only abandon the traditional three-term year if other neighbouring education authorities decide to do so at the same time.

However, it says that if it can persuade other councils to change, it would be prepared to lead the way. The decision to adopt a wait and see policy has been confirmed by Kent County Council's Conservative cabinet.

The move to put any switch on hold follows a wide-ranging public consultation, which saw most parents come out in support of a change but most teachers opposing it.

Cabinet member for education Cllr Paul Carter (Con) said: "It is important we make any decision when the position of neighbouring authorities is known. I do not think parents would thank us if we were to go alone."

However, he made it clear that Kent had not ruled out a change and the authority's education director Graham Badman said changes would be beneficial.

Mr Badman said: "The research would suggest to me that in terms of curriculum planning and easing teacher fatigue, there are benefits but this has to be done in concert with other authorities. The case has been made but to go it alone would militate against us."

Kent County Council is to hold talks later this year with other authorities including Medway, East Sussex and Bromley and Bexley about a joint switch. There is concern that parents with children at schools in different authorities could suffer if they had different term times.

Any proposal to change to a six-term year would have to be made by March if it was to be implemented by 2004.