“And, of course, we must avoid at all costs any attempts to de-Christianise Easter.”

Oona Stannard, chief executive of the Catholic Education Service, said: “We strongly resist anything which would encourage other schools to ignore the importance of Easter as a national holiday, demonstrating respect for Christians. 

“In a multi-faith society it is ever more important to give all children, wherever they are at school, the opportunity to learn about other faiths. Christianity and the celebration of its holy days must be at the heart of such learning.”

She also condemned attempts to rename the Easter and even Christmas holidays as spring and winter breaks. 

Education bosses claim that because Easter comes early next year – Easter Sunday falls on March 23 – it means the terms are unequal in length.

The decision to start the spring break from April 4 is part of an education plan to turn the school year into six equal terms.

Easter Sunday changes every year because it is calculated from the time of the full moon.

Although it often falls during the first two weeks of April earmarked for the school holiday, there are problems when it does not. In 2011, Easter Sunday is April 24 – a week after the schools are due to return for the summer term. Many parents have complained that different schools have holidays at different times – making life difficult for families with children at more than one school.

The Local Government Association (LGA) advises local authorities to establish a two-week spring break in early April, irrespective of the incidence of the Easter bank holiday.

A spokesman for the Church of England said: “The important thing is Easter itself. The bank holidays on Good Friday and Easter Monday remain. It may be that if children are at school immediately before and after the festival, then they are taught more about it.”

A spokesman for the LGA said: “The suggested term dates are only guidelines and it is up ­to local authorities and schools to set term dates. The idea is to even out the length of terms ­to help learning.

“It is absolutely not an attempt to undermine Easter as a Christian festival. The idea ­is to make teaching as effective as possible and help pupils.”

The move to change the Easter break follows recent claims that Christmas is being downgraded in importance.

Birmingham City Council caused controversy by naming its seasonal celebrations Winterval. Many councils and Government ministers also failed to mention Christmas in their cards last year.

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