Should parents be allowed to take their kids out of school for a holiday?

MSE_Emily

Poll started 27 August 2024

The fines for parents taking children out of school without permission have risen from £60 to £80 (if paid within 21 days) ahead of the new school year. With holiday prices typically cheaper outside of the school holidays, we want to know what you think – should parents be allowed to take their kids on holiday during term time? Let us know in the poll below.

Let us know!

Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below.

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DullGreyGuy

The problem is the fines are relatively small compared to the potential cost difference in holidays but if you made it something more serious, say £80 per day of school missed, you then just move it to the preserve of the well off. 

Personally, think kids should be in school in school time and any exceptions should be for extrordinary circumstances (eg to go to an overseas funeral). It was never a question with my parents, pulling me out of school was simply not a consideration. The problem is that those parents that think schooling is a waste of time etc aren't going to care no matter what the rules are. I'd also question how well the fines are issued and actually paid.

Hoenir

What's more important to a child. Education that lasts a lifetime or playtime that suggests do what you want when you want. 

Brie

I chose - NO, children need schooling, a holiday is not a good enough reason to stop - because there wasn't an option for what I'd want to chose.

Children should be in school.  Assuming the teacher is doing their job there is a plan for what the children will learn in each week.  To have some miss classes means the teacher has to do extra work just because the parents decided Jr should have a jolly.  Yes teachers have to cope with kids off sick as well but that's not the same as it isn't by choice.  And a child seeing that mom and dad can disregard the rules and take them out of school whenever sends a bad message.  That's ok so skipping classes is ok too.  When they start to work they can miss days there too because, well that's what you do, isn't it?

The exception to this is something substantial - a funeral or similar, particularly where the family is from elsewhere (might be Scotland might be Spain) and it takes more time to travel.  Some flexibility needs to be allowed even though I recognise that looks like some people will be favoured over others.  

littlegreen

Personally think it should be a bit like annual leave with each child given say 3 days a year for "personal leave". I have pre schoolers but I'm most worried when they get to school I'm going to struggle to visit and aid my elderly Nan 250 miles away in term time. I think in primary school a few days off in a year to be a child and have fun, or do something extra curricular, is not going to do any harm. Secondary school it becomes trickier I agree but as someone who was taken out of education at 13, basically taught myself to scrape a few GCSEs and still got five A Levels and a first at uni, it's done me no long term harm (though 100% would not do that to my children!) A lot of studies show anyway that it is early years (pre school and reception) that had the biggest impact of educational performance long term

Emmia

The poll isn't working for me.

Personally I think children need to be in school and the fines need to be at a level where taking the kids out in term time is more expensive than the difference between most high season and low season holidays - so perhaps £3k per week per child??

Obviously an exception would need to be made for funerals - but they wouldn't require a whole week or two off school.

LinLui

I have a plan... most schools these days,  from early on,  have some kind of points or reward system for pupils. Get pupils to "earn" up to two weeks leave a year (which may also have to be taken outside key times). Then raise the fines to a high level as Emmia proposed. 

That gets kids on board with earning holidays,  and parents on board with ensuring their kids are working at it! If you don't care about your kids behaviour or achievement,  then you get to go at peak time,  or don't go, or pay up the fine. 

I'd also set "homework" that supports the child learning something about their travel.  I'm in favour of encouraging children to travel and to learn from it.