An extended second term at schools is taking its toll on Western Bay students and teachers.

The academic calendar is adjusted this year to accommodate the Rugby World Cup in allowing children to have holidays coinciding with the event.

This has meant longer terms in the first half of the year and shorter ones in the second half of the year.

Green Park School officer manager Lynn Marriner says there have been a large number of children off with chicken pox and quite a few off with tummy bugs.

'Smaller children are feeling the longer term as it stretches them, but that goes for everybody,” says Lynn.

'We are all noticing it – even the staff.

'We just have to keep going and live with it because that's what they (the government) have done.”

Lynn isn't prepared to fully pin the wave of sickness the school is experiencing on the RWC as children being sick in winter is not uncommon.

'Chicken pox is around all the time.

'You don't know when your child has it until the spots show and it' usually contagious before this stage.

'It's something all schools experience. It comes in waves, it's our turn now and another school will get it next month.”

Oropi School principal Andrew King says there are many cold viruses around.

'It's been a typical year for us,” says Andrew.

'We have noticed an increase since the weather has turned colder, especially compared to term one and the beginning of term two, but it's been no different to previous years.”

Andrew says he wouldn't be surprised if the longer terms were affecting everyone.

'In the first term we had 11 weeks and this term will be 11 weeks.

'We had Easter break, but it's almost like school hasn't stopped.

'This proves the idea behind the four 10 week terms, which were introduced in 1998, is a good thing.

'This is the first year we've had longer terms since the introduction.

'I had staff away sick but tiredness is more of a factor,” says Andrew.