Allow students to be taken out of school for two weeks a year without penalty

[Kalevala]

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/658365

"Families face school fines for taking their children out of school to go on affordable holidays. This can be a particular issue for low-income families, and families with children that have additional needs, who want or need to avoid busier and more expensive periods."

And who would help the children catch up with missed work?

This. 39 weeks in a school year. If every child in a class of 30 was off for 2 of those weeks for holidays it would be a massive detriment to teaching and learning.

The reason there’s a big focus on attendance is because it links to outcomes.

Why would we want to do this when it is proven that attendance has a significant effect on educational outcomes.

Holidays, travel and family experiences are very beneficial, but there is plenty of time for them in the already allocated holidays.

As a teacher can I also take 2 weeks out of term time to go on holiday with my kids? Would be great but not sure how the school would manage with all staff able to do this, cover would be a nightmare - or would school staff then end up the only ones unable to access cheaper holidays as can only go when schools are closed??

Much better to petition the govt to enforce a cap on the amount holiday companies can increase prices by during school holidays - although realise the could only do this for companies operating out of the uk and would have no control on prices on holiday destinations

Why not instead petition for regulations on holiday price increases?

I agree - if attendance is low, the school loses its “good” or “outstanding” rating and the Headteacher usually loses their job. Having worked in a school where this happened due to a child with leukaemia and a child with a brain tumour, I have to conclude that Ofsted is too rigid about attendance.

I agree with this

There is an association between attendance and outcomes. Poor physical or mental health leads to both lower outcomes and lower attendance. I'm fairly sure that supporting children who have frequent short absences (absences due to family stress poverty etc) to attend school helps outcomes.

I'm not convinced that a week a year out of school on a planned holiday to eg visit grandparents changes outcomes. And yes, kids get a lot of school holidays, but lining that up with family work schedules (especially extended gsmily) sometimes isn't possible.

So do I, but a little flexibility would be nice. One week a year?

The idea that the government could dictate how private companies selling discretionary goods and services are allowed to structure their pricing models is utterly absurd.

Yes, of course there is a link between attendance and outcomes. But there is an enormous difference between continual, ongoing low attendance due to lack of parental engagement or poor health, which is what the data shows, and one week of planned holiday in the context of good overall attendance.

Personally I think two weeks is too long, but to give schools the ability to authorise one week of term-time absence every two years from reception to Y9 seems reasonable, and may be the only way that many families would be able to give their child the experience of a holiday.

No

I always read these threads with fascination. In Scotland we take our children out of school when we please: holidays, weddings, and so on. Everyone manages to get on with their lives no bother. I don't understand why so many English people support the fines.

I don't understand either. It's like some sort of brain washing that if children miss a week of school their school career is doomed. No recognition for the value of family time.

The idea that the government could dictate how private companies selling discretionary goods and services are allowed to structure their pricing models is utterly absurd

Im not particularly saying they should but obviously they could. There is loads of legislation that dictates pricing by private companies (and all companies).

If you want to go, just go.
But it’s on you to catch your kids up on their lost schoolwork - not their teachers.
Their teachers didn’t miss class.
Maybe talk to them before you leave.

I don't get it either. It used to be allowed, my parents took us out for two weeks most years in primary at least.
Its allowed in my country too, teacher can approve absences of up to 3 days and 3 days to 3 months is up to the head. Had zero issue taking my DD out for two weeks, her teacher even told me what they would be covering during those two weeks so she could keep up with her school work. Plenty of her classmates have taken holidays during term time too.

If students aren't in school it doesn't matter how much money has been invested.

I think that taking a week or two at most points in the term is disruptive. That said, I wonder whether there could be a few special days in the calendar such as the last few days of the summer term, day or so before Christmas and for people to be able to ask to use some of them.

Far better to stop the holiday companies cashing in on school holidays, rather than interrupting children’s education. I won’t be signing this one.

The people I know who have low incomes are not having holidays.

I think children should have holidays, ideally if the parents can't afford one the government should fund some sort of holiday for them. Maybe arranged by local councils.

That's true. However, forcing kids to attend schools that can't meet kids' needs doesn't help them, either.

My kids are 2E, and a bit of time out of school each year learning language and culture from extended family really benefited them.

And no, that wasn't always possible during the school holidays.

I think we need more carrot and less stick.

Signed. It's not just about price but also freedom to raise your kids how you want along with annual leave availability. Imagine if everyone who wanted to go to the Caribbean for two weeks tried to get Xmas off as it's the only two week break that falls at an appropriate time. Cruises don't always line up perfectly either.

DS is doing fine at school we have taken him out for a week most years before or after feb half term. Happy to pay for a tutor to make up gaps if needed but right now it's not needed so will save the money for GCSE/Alevel.

Holidays help with aspiration along with the designer clothes and fast cars parents also seem to hate now!!

I say this fairly frequently the multiple letter after mine and DH's name may pay the bills but a significant portion of our income comes from a side hustle that doesn't require them. We will only be encouraging DS to go to Uni if he wants a profession that needs it.

I don't support this overall but I am increasingly having sympathy for patented that do take their children out of school for holidays. With the price of holidays now having overly strict policies about non attendance could mean a family not enjoying a holiday for a significant period of their lives often the most stressful. A holiday could mean an improvement in the child's domestic atmosphere that is difficult to quantify but perhaps may actually lead to improvement in examination results. Politically isn't it important that children do expand their horizons and experience different cultures and languages at an informative point of their lives?

There does seem to be a little bit of middle class snobbery about this with perhaps those that can afford summer holidays being the most opinionated about release not being granted. Aren't we advocating holidays only for middle class families and isn't this yet another manifest display of inequality that may lead to stigma?

I have recently talked to a parent whose child missed school due to a serious illness and the school were supportive in that they thought the absence could be compensated for and yet have an overall policy of absence avoidance for academic reasons. Isn't there an element of double standards here?

Do we have statistical research into exactly what good at absence means in terms of academic results in reality? Is it truly significant? Aren't absence policies aimed at those children who are serial non attendees being used to punish children of hard working families who deserve a hooiday?

I think this is a nuanced quesion.

It's not just about price but also freedom to raise your kids how you want along with annual leave availability.

This is about what suits parents, not what is best for children’s education. the DfE is never going to start making policies based on convenience for parents instead of what is clearly best for children’s educational outcomes.

All that would happen then is the prices of holidays during term times would increase.

they are businesses. They run on a supply on demand basis. So they know they can make money at busy times to make up for the times they make little or no profit.

It isn’t going to be a case of companies all of a sudden agreeing to stop making money so people can have a holiday they couldn’t otherwise afford.