THOUSANDS of parents in North Yorkshire have not been informed about a possible switch to a six-term school year, councillors claim.

The Labour group said the county council had failed to make many families aware of the proposals, which could be introduced next year.

The deadline for an official response from the education authority is less than three weeks away.

The Local Government Association has been reviewing the issue of school holidays for two years and established the Price Commission to draw up proposals.

It recommends: six terms in a school year, with two terms before Christmas; no term should be longer than 38 days; a two-week break in the October half-term; a summer break of no less than five weeks and five flexible days that could be used as holidays or term days.

The commission is now consulting the education authority, which in turn consults the community but education spokesman Coun Jim Snowball said the council's executive may have left it too late.

He said: "I am urging schools, teachers, parents and pupils to contact the education department at County Hall to inform them of their views."

An authority spokesman said: "The LGA consultation paper specifically asks for the views of the local education authority and schools and that is what we aim to provide.