Rise in number of children skipping school for family holidays
The number of parents flouting the law to take their children on term-time holidays has risen, according to official figures released by the Department for Education.
In total, 400,490 pupils skipped school to go on unauthorised holidays last autumn and spring terms, 38, 065 more than the previous year.
The proportion of children who missed school to take authorised family holidays remained unchanged at 1.2%.
The rise in unauthorised absences comes despite a change in the law in 2013, which gives local education authorities the power to fine parents up to £120 for taking their children out of school without permission.
Also, since 2013, head teachers are only allowed to give permission for children to miss school in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
More than 50,000 fines were issued in 2014-15, but at least nine councils are believed to have stopped fining parents following a High Court decision to overturn a fine issued to dad Jon Platt, who successfully argued he should have been allowed to take his daughter out of school for a family holiday because of her otherwise good attendance record.
MPs have since called for a clarification of the rules.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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