SCHOOLS will revert to offering a single week’s holiday for the October half term from next year.

A two year pilot of a two-week break will not be extended to a permanent change in school timetables, after it was overwhelmingly rejected by parents and teachers.

Councillors scrapped the policy at a meeting on Monday night, saying they were right to trial it but right to listen to residents.

Close to two-thirds of 4,500 survey respondents told Brighton and Hove City Council a one-week break was preferable.

That rose to nearly nine out of ten among those who identified themselves as struggling to cover the costs of living while children were off school for an additional week, so soon after the expense of summer holidays.

Green Councillor Alex Phillips told the children young people and skills committee: “The people who were really at the core of the reasoning behind us going ahead with this in the first place - those disadvantaged families - they don’t want it to continue by 80-something per cent.

“So I think obviously we’re not going to continue with it and that’s the right decision.”

Richard Barker, head of school organisation, said: “There were a mix of views and 20 per cent of respondents became more in favour following the introduction last Octoebr.

“However the majority of respondents do not want to continue with the pilot.

“This is greater number when considering the views of educational professionals.”

All the schools in the city followed the council’s lead in 2017 and extended the October break.

But this year most voluntary and faith school have reverted to one week after it proved unpopular.

Local authority-run schools will continue the pilot this October because term dates are set long in advance.

But, Mr Barker said, the “fragmentation” of term dates across schools in Brighton and Hove was another reason to abandon the pilot.

Chairman Cllr Dan Chapman told the committee: “This was something that was absolutely worth trying and piloting, but we can’t really ignore four and a half thousand responses.

“It was worth doing but I think judging by the response to the consultation it’s best to not continue with this.”

It was hoped the trial would make holidays cheaper and cut down on absenteeism.