According to Tasmanian Principals Association president Robert Banfield, the association, which was part of the advisory group that recommended the change to a four-term model in 2013, said it had respected the overall democratic process of the advisory group.

In an association ballot on the issue, 47 principals opposed the change to four terms - which was announced by Education Minister Nick McKim on Monday - while 44 supported it.

"We weren't going in with a fixed decision: it would have been improper if we had said yes or no," Mr Banfield said.

"We have a point of view to put forward and we put it forward, and at the end of the day we supported the decision of the (advisory) group."

Education Minister Nick McKim ended decades of debate when he announced that the state would change from three to four terms of 10 weeks from 2013.

The Australian Education Union state branch does not agree with the change, citing a lack of evidence to back the claims that it is better for children.

Bracknell Primary School principal Michael House said it was probably the right decision.

Mr House said a 10-week term was probably long enough, especially in winter when it was harder for the school to find relief teachers if others were off sick.

He said it would allow Tasmania to better align itself with the national curriculum, and professionally teachers could attend national conferences interstate that had traditionally been run when they were back at school.

Scotch Oakburn principal Andrew Barr said his biggest concern was for the health of students, and the change would help reduce absenteeism.

Mr Barr said he believed Tasmania was reflected badly nationally with low NAPLAN results due to the students in other states doing the test earlier in term, whereas here it was carried out in about week 14.

The Examiner spoke to parents and carers at Summerdale Primary School yesterday and only two did not agree with Mr McKim.

One of those was Sarah Rawson.

For Ms Rawson, whose daughter has autism, changing her routine can be difficult. "I expect it's going to take some adjusting for her."

Most of those collecting children said the summer holiday break was too long.

"It's a very good idea," mother of one at the school Tania Roper said. "The terms are too long and the kids get tired - it would just break it up a bit more for them."

Grandmother Pauline Fellows said children tended to get bored towards the end of the summer holiday.