Teachers have warned that the proposed six-term school calendar could lead to parents pulling their children out of school over the Easter holiday.

Oxfordshire County Council has published its draft calendar for 2004 to 2005, the first year schools in the county will operate the new six-term year.

Pupils would get the Easter weekend, including Good Friday and Easter Monday off -- then go back to school for four days, before starting their two-week school Easter holiday.

Teachers fear that will result in parents taking their children out of school for the four days if they plan to go away on holiday.

School holidays have traditionally been arranged to coincide with the Easter break, but the adoption of a school year means terms will be of equal length and holidays will be taken at the same time every year.

Rod Walker, of the Oxfordshire Secondary Schools Association and headteacher of The Henry Box School, in Witney, called on the council to alter the term dates to be more convenient to parents.

"My view is it would be sensible to move the April holiday a bit earlier so it started on Good Friday so we don't have an awkward four-day break. I don't think that break will be helpful and I think we've got to be pragmatic and modify the calendar year-by-year.

"Parents will feel it's a sensible time for families to have a holiday but this four days between the long weekend and the school holiday could be very inconvenient."

Tony Crabbe, the county council's executive member for schools, admitted children could miss school as a result of the new term dates. Consultation on the plans continues until July 2.