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."

I’m not sure that holiday companies are exploiting school holidays as such, it’s when they make their money - out of season they are making very little, they do need to make a profit.

good attendance is critical and there is clear evidence that low attendance leads to worse outcomes.

maybe other countries have less strict policies because parents are more sensible about holidays.

This petition doesn’t just allow that term time holidays might occasionally be needed - it actively encourages all parents to take their kids out for two weeks a year. Most of this would happen in the summer term with a hugely disruptive effect on ALL the children. Really stupid idea.

Will teachers be allowed to take two weeks too?

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?

Schools and individual teachers are often willing to go above and beyond to support children who are sick but even when a school is supportive they can’t guarantee that a long term absence isn’t going to have a negative effect of what the child could have achieved. They can do their best to limit the lost learning as much as possible by preparing resources to send home and they can put extra time and effort into helping a child catch up when they are back to school but they’re not going to do that for every child whose parents fancy an expensive holiday during term time. There isn’t a double standard because the absences are for different reasons.

I have known parents with intelligent kids in a large family takes kids out of school and at least one of them is at Oxford. If your child is bright then in reality a missing week/two week period is not going to have a significant impact. We do not see this that often as those with bright children often have more than average income and can afford summer holiday breaks.

There are periods for instance after year 6 days where the children are effectively on down time where a holiday may be appropriate.

Also those against the policy are the ones who do have the money to go on summer school holiday breaks. Have they ever been in the shoes of the just about managing?

So far I've managed to take my DC on cheap holidays during allocated school holidays. That's around 12 years of schooling.

Holidays included theme parks, camping trips, beach locations city brakes and cottages either abroad or UK.

What I can't do (refuse to pay for) are the overpriced AI resorts.

Yep. I'd have loved a cheap holiday when I was teaching.

Also those against the policy are the ones who do have the money to go on summer school holiday breaks. Have they ever been in the shoes of the just about managing?

we did two nights in a premier inn this summer as it was what we could afford. I would have loved to have gone away on a longer “proper” holiday but had to live within our means.

those who are really really struggling aren’t going anywhere term time or not.

If people decide to go on holiday during term times that’s their choice. But the system rightly doesn’t allow for this because school attendance does matter no matter how much people with their “top of the class” children try to persuade you otherwise.

Just pay the fine if you’re so bothered.

This is not going to have any effect, in any case.

Why do people make these pointless petitions?

No, I won't sign this. I would sign a petition for holiday companies to introduce fairer pricing across the year.

I think a large part of the problem is the way 'children benefit from holidays' has got turned into 'children benefit from an overseas (hot) stay in an all inclusive resort'.

There are ways of having an affordable (for most people) holiday in school holidays. It might not be everything you want in a holiday, but that is a 'want' not a 'children should have'. And parents who can't afford a basic holiday in the school holidays are not the ones who would be able to afford booking with holiday companies in term time.

One PP seemed outraged that a Caribbean cruise is too expensive over the Xmas holidays 😂

Yes and I'm of the generation where I use to go on a yearly family holiday in term time - like a lot of kids did! Still went to uni, got good jobs etc etc

Are we saying if children have a week off with chicken poxs, flu etc their education is ruined!!! No!

A lot of learning in primary is repeated ,like maths topics, through the year. Secondary might be harder

Think 2 weeks is pushing it but a week is fine if attendance is at a good standard already.

The travel companies aren't going to change their pricing and ridiculous to ask for them too!

I've don't this every 2 years, in order to travel back to the UK, and know many families who do this to travel to Arabic countries (they usually take the whole term every few years) I have no problem with it, I've never asked for any consideration for it, and we have never had any issue with keeping up when we come back. I view having familial bonds as just as important as education at a young age. I'm very glad to be in a country that whilst it doesn't support it, also doesn't penalise you for parental choices (we are in Aus)

The travel companies have to cover their fixed, year round costs from a small window of time that is basically the school.holidays. That's why the price of a couple of weeks in that time slot is so.high, because it has to cover all the weeks of the year with no.income.

The additional low season weeks are worth doing if the price covers the additional costs of remaining open, plus a bit of the fixed overheads.

But it is probably more accurate to see the high season cost as the 'true' cost, and the low season cost as reducing the high season cost a little.

Scotland has significantly worse educational outcomes than England so I wouldn’t hold that system up as a shining example.

Also those against the policy are the ones who do have the money to go on summer school holiday breaks. Have they ever been in the shoes of the just about managing?

I have... and we have had no trips away for a few years, especially in the summer as everything is soo expensive.

Or cold, wet & windy cottages in February half term.

OP I always think these threads are about the traditional AI holidays in Greece or Spain, because truth is if you are on a budget and can't afford these type of holiday, you need to look elsewhere or prioritise or save or just miss out for a year or 2.
Holidays are a want not a need.

I see this from both sides. It’s disgusting that travel companies can hike prices up so much in school holidays. That needs to be stopped.
So I do understand why parents would want to take kids out of school during term time.

However, having been a teacher, it’s a nightmare when kids have missed a chunk of lessons and then reappear in your lesson with a 2 week knowledge gap. You have to get them caught up, while moving 30 plus other kids on. It’s a nightmare and if all kids were given this leeway, then potentially every week there would be several kids missing from classes needing catching up (if you are a secondary teacher).

Unfortunately it’s not as simple as some parents think it is.

A child's education is far more important than a 2 week holiday. Ds already gets 13 weeks off - long summer holidays which I fully support.

I wouldn't support this.

If 2 weeks were allowed, parents would say well what's 3.

It's hard enough to get parents to have their children in school and on time without this.

No one HAS to go on holiday. If you can't afford it, other activities to do with your children are available.

I agree

The new policy which is in force from September is much stricter.

First offence £80 per parent if paid within 21 days
Second offence £160 per parent - no reduced offer
Third offence - straight to court and prosecuted.

Please be joking.

Councils already fund holiday clubs at Christmas, Easter and the summer for children from LI homes.

Housing people should be the first priority for councils as opposed to a week away?

Personally I believe teachers should be given 2 weeks they can take throughout the year which they then "make up" by running school clubs during the summer holidays etc., it would benefit everyone

This is what I can’t understand either. It is blatant price gouging by holiday companies and airlines - I agree that there should be controls imposed on them to prevent price increases beyond a defined percentage during school holidays. Target the cause.

I DO NOT support this nonsense!

When I was a TA the wages were so low that I frequently dipped into my savings just to make ends meet and could only afford camping holidays in the summer.

So no, not a lot of sympathy for families who choose to take term time holidays. It definitely is a problem for the very poorest though.

That's not going to make up for the cost of supply teachers is it? Or parental complaints about teacher absence and lack of continuity in learning?