Schools in term-time holidays row

PUPILS in the East Riding are enjoying more days off school than any other children in the country, after thousands of unofficial holidays were approved by teachers.

According to figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the East Riding has the highest levels of “authorised” term-time holidays in the country, after 12,613 pupils, nearly a third, were taken out of school during lessons.

In total, 56,754 days of education were lost to term-time holidays.

The statistics, for the 2008-09 academic year, show that term-time holidays accounted for 15 per cent of all school absences, compared with a national average of less than 10 per cent.

To combat the problem, headteachers are being urged to agree a new county-wide policy in the summer that will limit the number of agreed extra holidays.

Parents who remove children without the school’s consent will face fines that could rise to 2,000 per child per household.

The inclusion and access manager at East Riding Council, Paul Butler, said: “The problem was we didn’t have a policy in place. There’s been an inconsistent approach because it’s the responsibility of individual headteachers whether to approve it or not.

“We want to make it clear for schools and parents what the policy is and we hope schools will sign up to it in the summer.

“The reaction from many headteachers so far has been very positive, most have confirmed they will be adhering to it.”

He also issued a warning to parents who fail to comply: “Booking a cheap holiday is not a valid reason for not attending school. Parents have got to decide – do they want to save money or jeopardise their child’s education?”

Parents taking children on unauthorised breaks will be fined 50 per parent per child, which if unpaid after 28 days rises to 100. Non-payment after 42 days could result in a 1,000 fine at court.

But not all are convinced the new measures will work.

The headteacher at Woldgate School in Pocklington, Jeff Bower, said: “In 99 per cent of cases it’s to do with having cheap holidays. It’s a money thing, which is why this fixed penalty will probably not act as a deterrent.

“If you can save 500 by moving your holiday a week people with that money will probably go ahead anyway.

“We often discourage parents from doing it and they will say ‘Thank you very much’, but they will still go.”

Mr Bower added: “It definitely has a real impact on performance. Other than educating parents of the impact it has or having a real deterrent, I don’t know what you can do.

“Holiday companies would have to stop giving cheap holidays, which is not very likely.”

Term-time holidays will still be granted in certain circumstances, including:

n Where parents’ holidays are in term-time because of work commitments;

n For rehabilitation after medical or emotional issues;

n When a family is considering emigrating;

n For family ceremonies, such as weddings, taking place in another part of the country or abroad.

Travel agent Alistair Hart, general manager at Andrew Earle’s World of Travel, which has two branches in the East Riding, said tour operators had little choice but to raise prices during school holidays.

He said: “It’s not the travel agents, it’s the tour operators and it’s the only time of the year they make any profit. They are recovering losses they incurred during the rest of the year.

“This week the kids are in school, nobody with kids is travelling so they are reducing the cost. You’ve got to be sympathetic to them.”

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