The traditional long summer holiday could become a thing of the past in Britain as a succession of education authorities prepare to consult parents on plans for radical change.
Instead of a six-week summer break, children might return to school after around a month under plans being prepared by at least six authorities.
But they would gain extra holidays at other times, with the school year being split into five terms instead of three.
The move is driven by fears that children's education loses momentum over a lengthy summer break, and that the long winter school terms cause unnecessary strain on both staff and students, leading to high levels of truancy.
But education chiefs also believe their proposals will be popular with parents and with the travel industry, who they think will welcome the flexibility to spread family holidays more evenly throughout the year.
The disclosure comes after the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and two cabinet colleagues were attacked for extending family holidays beyond the start of their children's school term.