Almost 4,000 children are set to be affected by a shake-up of term dates at four town schools.

Westlands Primary and Secondary, Sittingbourne Community College and Regis Manor aim to reduce the summer break from six weeks to five.

In addition, the October holiday will be extended from one week to two. The changes will take effect next academic year.

It is understood the schools, all part of the Swale Academies’ Trust, are the first in the borough to move away from the dates set by Kent County Council.

The changes will also apply to the nurseries attached to the two primaries as well as to Meopham School near Gravesend, which joined the trust in February.

Academies have always had the freedom to change term times, as they don’t fall under local authority control.

A bill is now going through Parliament to allow all state schools in England to change their term times from September 2015.

Westlands sent out a letter to parents informing them about the changes last week.

The letter from school head Simon Cox says: “Backed up by research, we believe pupils lose a lot of learning over a six-week summer holiday.

“Also, it is our experience that they get very tired during November and December after a long autumn term.

“We have concluded that moving a week from the end of the summer holiday to the half-term break will help solve both issues.

“It has the added bonus that should families wish to book a holiday outside of the traditional peak times, they have [an extra] week in October to do so.”

Speaking to the Messenger, he said: “Term dates are historically based around the harvest and religious ceremonies. Hundreds of years ago, children worked on the land picking hops or fruit. Our priority now is learning.

“Parents say their children are fed up, bored and want to go back to school [by the sixth week]. We think it’s an improved way of doing it rather than changing it too radically. We did consult with staff beforehand, and they didn’t put any major objections up.

“I think it’s a win-win situation, but there are always going to be people that don’t like change.”

Holidays already planned for the end of August next year will be honoured as long as there is proof that bookings were made before the letter was sent out.

Mr Cox added: “Locally, this is big news, but nationally there are schools that have set their terms beyond recognition compared to what we are doing.”