A PETITION to help keep holidays the same across Darwen schools has been signed by 300 people.

The campaign, created by Joanne Birkner, has been directed at Brendan Loughran, headteacher at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy in Sudell Road, due to the school's holidays being different to a number of primary schools in the area.

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Ms Birkner said that DACA's holiday patterns had caused her and many other families much frustration.

She said: "This Easter my children have had different two different two-week holidays, the youngest started his the day DACA went back.

"I am really saddened that I haven't been able to spend any time over the end-of-term break together as a family as DACA have chosen not to follow the council's recommended holiday pattern.

"This is particularly upsetting as parents are now fined if they take their children out of school in term time.

"Different holidays also make childcare very difficult for many families. Out-of-school holiday club providers follow the council's recommended end-of-term break.

"The school expects its students and parents to show their support and promotes itself as being a part of the community.

"I am asking Mr Loughran to give students and parents the same support."

A conflict of term dates occurred last year in Blackburn with Darwen when primary and secondary schools broke up a different times for the two-week Easter break.

The term dates meant that some parents were being forced to choose between not going on holiday or taking their children out of school and facing a fine.

Academies, which are free from local government control, do not have to follow holiday patterns set by the council as these are only advisory and the term times are in the hands of the headteacher.

Mr Loughran said he is aiming to align holidays with other schools in future.

He said: "A parent has met me to say they had set up a petition a couple of weeks ago and two other parents have been in contact.

"I’ve assured them that in future our governing body will continue to seek to align with other local schools.

"We operate in the same way as most other schools, term time dates are agreed by governing bodies of individual schools and parents are notified with good notice.

"We always endeavour to follow as near as possible the local term dates, but if, for instance other parties change their pattern after we have publicised our dates, then this can lead to the discrepancies."