CONTROVERSIAL plans to switch the school year from three terms to six in Southampton's schools have moved a step closer.

City education chiefs have given the green light to plans for a radical shake-up of next year's term structure which they say will pave the way for introducing a six-term year in 2005/6.

Next year's structure is likely to be the last with just three terms and will closely reflect the final structure for the six-term year which is due to be introduced in two years' time.

City education chiefs had originally planned to bring the new term structure into place in 2004 but the process was delayed because some neighbouring local authorities had not finished their consultation process with unions, schools and parents.

City bosses also agreed at Monday's Cabinet meeting to continue negotiations for a full six-term year for the 2005/2006 school year with neighbouring local authorities, including Hampshire.

Regional leader of the National Association of School Masters and Union of Women Teachers Ron Clooney welcomed the structure of next year but said the eventual switch to six terms could cause "chaos".

"If Hampshire and Southampton go for six terms on their own it will cause problems with staff and could lose pupils to other schools as well. If they all go to different dates it will be chaos. What we would like to see is a nationally agreed set of dates."

Pete Sopowski the honorary secretary of Southampton National Union of Teachers said: "I believe that sense will prevail and in certain years what seems to be six half-terms will happen. Something very similar to what we have had before will prevail."

Hampshire is proposing a six-term year which would see two terms before Christmas, neither of more than 38 days, divided by a two-week break in October.

Following a two-week Christmas break, there would be four terms, none of more than six weeks, and a summer holiday at least five weeks long.