In the past few years, largely due to the impact of the recession on family budgets, many British households have found themselves unable to justify the cost of a foreign holiday, especially to a far flung location such as Sydney or Malaysia. While this is something of a timeless problem, as foreign holidays have never exactly been cheap, recent legislation passed by the Government has meant that one of the classic cost saving measures – pulling the kids out of school for a week to take advantage of cheaper term time flights – is no longer the affordable option it once was.

What has Changed?

Before the change in legislation came in to effect on the 1st of September last year, head teachers were able to grant a leave of absence for up to 10 days for pupils whose parents wished to take them on a term time holiday – a clause known as a “special circumstance” grant.

Now, however, parents can incur a fine of £60 per child should a pupil be absent from school as a result of a family holiday, which rises to £120 per pupil if not paid within 28 days. Obviously, this could end up having a large financial impact upon the average UK family, especially if more than one child is enrolled at the school in question, but failure to comply with this legislation could see stricter penalties imposed.

Budgeting during Peak Seasons

This change in the law will obviously have a large impact upon families who struggle to afford holidays during peak times of year, so in order to make foreign holidays affordable it may be worth examining a number of options. One of the best methods is to shop around – but obviously this can be immensely time consuming and often difficult to compare due to the different packages offered by a multitude of carriers. Instead, perhaps consider travelling to countries a little more “off the beaten track”, or even taking a staycation here in the UK. If neither of these options suit, Money.co.uk recommends weighing up the cost of the fine which would be incurred against the cost of taking a peak season holiday; should the savings in air fares and hotel costs outweigh the cost of the fine, then it remains financially viable to take a holiday during the term time.

The Impact upon School Pupils

During the school year 2011 to 2012 – the penultimate year before the amendments regarding attendance came into effect – a total of 1,153,770 pupils in England missed at least one day of school due to a family holiday. Yet while this clearly will not add a gold star to the attendance records of said pupils, the more worrying issue at hand is the fact that many of these pupils may have potentially fallen behind their classmates in terms of academic achievement as a result of their absence. In fact, a study conducted by researchers from the University of Glasgow found that the majority of teachers and learning assistants questioned believe any absence from school leads to pupils underachieving. However, the case is not quite as clean cut as it first appears, as it is a widely held belief that children benefit hugely from travelling abroad at a young age. In terms of learning a new language, numerous studies have shown that children learn more quickly through play and experiences, meaning a trip to Paris, for example, could benefit a child learning how to speak French more than a classroom environment would. Furthermore, gaining an understanding of a foreign culture at an early age can prove instrumental in becoming a well-rounded adult.

Taking the decision to pull a child from school, even for a few days, cannot be taken lightly by any parent, especially with the added pressure of fines to consider. However, it seems that it will now be up to parents to evaluate whether an absence due to a family holiday will be financially worthwhile – and, more pertinently, whether an experience in the real world will offer their child more than a classroom ever could.

References

Abi.org.uk, (2014). [online] Available at: www.abi.org.uk/~/media/Files/Documents/Publications/Public/
Migrated/Travel/ABI%20guide%20to%20travel%20insurance.ashx [Accessed 23 Apr. 2014].

Are Term Time Holidays Worth It?. 2014. money.co.uk. [online] Available at: www.money.co.uk/article/1010331-are-term-time-holidays-worth-it.htm [Accessed 22 Apr. 2014].

Degener, J., 2011. The role of age in learning foreign languages. Goethe Institute. [online] Available at: http://www.goethe.de/ges/spa/pan/spg/en7142444.htm [Accessed 22 Apr. 2014].

Gov.uk, 2014. Leave of absence: children missing school during term time - Publications - GOV.UK. [online] Available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/leave-of-absence-children-missing-school-during-term-time [Accessed 22 Apr. 2014].

Gov.uk, 2014. School attendance and absence - GOV.UK. [onlin
e] Available at: www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence/legal-action-to-enforce-school-attendance [Accessed 22 Apr. 2014].

Kitp.ucsb.edu, 2014. Tips on Finding a Cheap Airfare | KITP. [online] Available at: http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/visitor-info/transportation/airports-airlines/airfare-tips [Accessed 22 Apr. 2014].

Malcolm, H., Wilson, V., Davidson, J. and Kirk, S., 2003. Absence from School: A study of its causes and effects in seven LEAs. 1st ed. Glasgow: Department for Education and Skills, p.13.
Team, F. (2013). Are disposable incomes rising as the Prime Minister claims? - Full Fact. [online] Full Fact. Available at: https://fullfact.org/factchecks/disposable_income_prime_ministers_questions-29240 [Accessed 23 Apr. 2014].


EDITORIAL NOTE

Earlier this year the National Union of Teachers took part in a 'Wildcat Strike'.(short notice withdrawl of their labour). There was considerable support to the idea of fining teachers and - or their union for depriving children of vital education.

As you can see, this subject could turn into a double-edged sword.