By 2022, more than 5 million school days will be lost as a result of parents not sending their children to school. semester vacationit has been report.
analysis of the new Department of Education (DfE) According to data, 5,148,548 school days were lost due to “unauthorized term time leave” in the 2021/22 school year.
This compares to the 3,651,978 days lost due to parents having children removed for school holidays in the 2015/16 school year.
according to daily mailelementary school children were more than twice as likely to be absent from school for the semester break than middle school children.
Frank Young, editorial director of the think tank Civitas, which analyzed the data, said, “Too many parents don’t take school seriously.
“It is worrisome that the youngest elementary school students are most likely to be absent from school just as they are learning to read and write. is needed.”
According to official government law, parents or guardians must get permission from the principal if they want their child out of school during the school term.
Such requests must be made in advance and only in exceptional circumstances. These rarely include family holidays.
Parents can face fines of up to £2,500, community orders or imprisonment of up to three months for repeated failures to enforce their children’s attendance at school.
Nonetheless, parents continue to book vacations during school terms to beat price increases introduced during peak times such as school holidays.
a study in january More than a third of parents were found to be willing to cut costs by taking family vacations during the school term and simply accept and pay the associated fines.
research by holiday extras One in 10 parents surveyed said they had already made an appointment to take their family before school holidays, and another 29% said they were likely to do so.
Breaks during the school term are on average 28% cheaper than going out during the school summer holidays, according to an analysis by the brand.
Hugo Loudon, Chief Financial Officer of Holiday Extras, said:
“But there are probably better ways to save on family vacations than booking on time, with the risk of sanctions and fines. Choosing a cheaper destination will make the biggest difference.” By booking your all-inclusive in advance, you can budget your vacation and also protect your budget from inflation.
“Also, booking vacation and holiday surcharges as far in advance as possible can also make a big difference. Pounds wasted, you book your trip.
A DfE spokeswoman said: “Most children are attending school and learning.
“We are working closely with schools, trusts, governing bodies and local governments to identify at-risk and persistently absent students and help them return to regular education. doing.”
