Children take record number of holidays during school term

The high cost of a fortnight away during school holidays compared with exactly the same package at any other time has resulted in more children than ever being taken out of school on unofficial leave, new research suggests.

Last spring, school pupils missed nearly 1.4 million school days due to what is being dubbed ‘Middle Class Truancy’ - deliberately taking your child on holiday during the school term to avoid paying peak-time premiums.

Truants on the rise
Data published by the Department for Education shows almost 20,000 more school days were lost last year compared to the previous spring term, provoking a pledge by ministers to get tougher with rule-bending parents.

The £100 fine

Although a £100 fine can currently be levied against term-time getaways at many schools, parents feel it’s more than covered by the large savings they can make on the cost of their holiday. And, if paid within 28 days, the £100 fine is reduced by half – providing an additional incentive to parents.

The government’s response

When asked about the holiday truancy, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “We are putting in place a series of measures to raise standards of behaviour, to put head teachers and teachers back in control of the classroom, and to get tougher on parents and pupils who do not abide by the rules.”
Will it make any difference?

Responding in the Daily Mail, however, writer Julia Llewellyn Smith asked: “How else can we afford our holidays?” before admitting that the prospect of cheap flights was far too tempting to resist.
“It’s a crime I never dreamed I’d commit. I was brought up to regard taking children out of school as the height of disrespect.”

“Yet, despite boarding the plane feeling like a criminal, watching my children make sandcastles by the crystal clear Red Sea was worth every twinge of guilt – especially as we saved hundreds of pounds in the process,” she added.

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