REMEMBER the time when school holidays were simple affairs?

Rather like the rest of modern life it would appear as though even school holidays have just got far more complicated.

Certainly parents are going to need their own special wallcharts to work out when their little darlings are going to be off for Easter in 2016.

Because the religious holiday is so early next year, may school are opting not the extend it, preferring instead to allow pupils to return for a brief period after Easter Monday and then have a holiday later in April.

This is going to cause chaos for families who have children at different schools. Many will find that the Easter break could extend to around a month causing major headaches.

Childcare which for many working families is difficult enough will become even more complicated - and expensive - and organising a break away will be full of pitfalls.

Woe betide parents who keep their kids out of class for a holiday - but you just know that many families will argue they have no choice.

Surely there has to be a way whereby holidays are set and consistent irrespective of which school you go to or where you live.

Common sense needs to prevail.