Cabinet members approved recommendations to bring primary and secondary school holidays in line with each other, despite the results of a consul-tation showing 1,664 votes against the changes and only 219 in favour.

The move means the two-week half-term break for primary schools during the summer term will be reduced to one and they will have a six-week summer holiday instead of five.

A report prepared for the meeting said the changes would improve attendance figures at high schools, which traditionally drop when the primary schools have the extra half-term week because parents choose to take advantage of cheap holiday deals.

Elodia Eccles, headteacher at Southdale School in Ossett, reckoned the change was not wanted.

She said: "Staff need that extra week at half-term for writing reports and catching up. Not only that, but a six-week break over the summer is far too long for primary school pupils not only because they get bored, but because their learning suffers and they struggle when they start back."

Colin Moran, secretary of the Wakefield Branch of the National Association of Headteachers, said it was another case of the council ignoring the views of local people.

For more on the National Association of Headteachers, click here