HUNDREDS of teachers in Medway are on a collision course with the council over proposals to introduce a five-term year.

They say it could worsen staff shortages and that shifting more breaks from summer to winter would push up family heating bills and make pupils suffer in poorly ventilated classrooms in hot weather.

Medway’s three main teachers’ unions - the NUT, NASUWT and ATL - have issued a joint statement attacking the plans as many among the near-2,000 membership are against them.

NUT spokesman Doug Macari said: “With hundreds of Medway classrooms currently staffed by unqualified teachers, any move to further isolate the local education system would likely severely exacerbate Medway’s teacher recruitment and retention problems."

Mr Macari added that many Medway teachers were also parents and as some did not live in the area, it would make family holidays for them impossible.

He added: “With five terms, the majority of school breaks would be shifted from summer to winter, so depriving children of fresh air and sunshine and transferring winter bills from schools to the home.

“Children and their teachers would be required to return to their poorly-designed, ill-ventilated classrooms at the height of summer.

The issue has involved the biggest consultation exercise ever carried out by Medway Council. More than 5,000 people, including parents, responded with those in favour of change preferring a five-term year, which could happen from September 2005.

It would involve eight-week terms with a four-week summer holiday, instead of six, and two weeks for other holidays. The final decision will be made by the full council on April 9.

Medway’s education cabinet wants the council to consider the possibility of five terms although has not made a specific recommendation for it. But the unions point out that in the consultation only 18 per cent of teachers supported five terms and that 40 per cent wanted no change at all.

Sixty-one per cent said that if there must be change it should be in line with other Kent schools.

Mr Macari said: “Medway’s cabinet has clearly decided that the views of its teachers count for nothing." He added that Medway’s 44,593 pupil population were not asked, unlike in Kent County Council’s consultation and Medway's Youth Parliament vosted against any change.

Medway Council stresses that only 23 per cent of overall consultation respondents supported the current three terms.

A council spokesman said: “Medway’s Cabinet has not ignored the views of teachers but it also has to also take account head teachers, school support staff, governors, parents and employers.

“Teachers were the only one of these groups to favour the status quo. Even so, only 40 per cent did so.

“Medway’s Youth Parliament was given every opportunity to contribute to the consultation and was encouraged to seek the views of pupils. We have not been informed of any vote by the Youth Parliament on this issue.’’