Children are missing weeks of school for holidays
Parents across Lincolnshire and Newark are telling us their views on the school holiday debate, stating it's cheaper to pay the fine and take their child out during term times
Schools across Lincolnshire and Newark are seeing more child absences in schools, which is thought to be impacting the opportunities for those children. One cause for many child absences, is parents taking their children on holiday, during term time, stating it's cheaper to pay the fine for this.
Hundreds of Lincolnshire children are missing school regularly, sometimes due to parents taking them on holidays during term time.
Some 829 children were reported as having missed ten consecutive days of school in the 2021/22 school year.
111 of those had been reported three or more times, according to Lincolnshire County Council data.
The number of Fixed Penalty Notices handed out to parents for unauthorised absences has tripled since the previous year, although it’s still below pre-pandemic levels.
1,760 fines were given out when a child missed around four and a half days out of the last six weeks.
Holidays in school term are the reason for more than 90% of these.
The number of prosecutions of parents who hadn’t paid fines has also doubled from the previous year.
The Children and Young Person Scrutiny Committee was told that a new strategy is being used to bring attendance back to pre-pandemic levels.
An attendance team will be created, and there will be regular conversations with schools about children who are often off.
A report presented to the committee said: “Lincolnshire has seen many children return to school following the pandemic, however, as expected, there continues to be a gap between pre-Covid and post-Covid attendance.
“Between autumn 2021 and spring 2022, the overall absence was 7.9% and persistent absence was 24.7% compared with national rates of 7.4% and 22.3%.”
Boston has the highest share of children missing education in Lincolnshire.
However, it’s believed this may be due to families who have returned to home countries without notifying the school.
At least 1,500 fines were issued for children missing a week of school over the last school year.
However, families are standing by their decision on social media, and are saying that it is schools and the tourism industry which need to change.
Here’s what readers said about the issue on Facebook.
Les Rush said: “You only have to look at the benefits. Family holidays are good for the mental health of our children and l have no doubt that they perform better in school following the holiday.
“More and more families cannot afford to travel during the school holidays.”
Tracey Shearer: “If it’s not a really important year like taking exams, then I say yes. Family memories are important too.”
Jayne Kirton said: “The government should do something to stop the holiday companies hiking the prices up out of term time. Then families wouldn’t have to take their children out of school for a holiday that is affordable.”
Janet Burrows agreed, saying: “What they charge you in a fine is nothing compared to the financial savings and the quality of holiday you have.”
Even some teachers supported children missing a few lessons for holidays.
Richard Adams said: “As a former educator, holidays can harm childrens’ education if they miss critical parts, but more often than not the gaps can be filled up at a later stage.”
Jo Piercy: “I work for the emergency services and quite often leave can’t be taken over Christmas, so yes, I’ll be taking my daughter out of school to enjoy family holidays.
“I was taken out of school as a child during term. It didn’t do me any harm and I have pursued a career I love.”
However, not everyone agreed with taking children missing school days.
Kathryn Locke said: “I’m sure if parents were paying for their child’s education at the point of delivery, they may think again.
She added: “Travel can be educational and fun-filled family time, but it is the tourist industry that needs to change – not a child’s attendance in education. I am sure school staff would welcome cheaper holidays during school holidays away too.”
The report on school absences says Lincolnshire’s absences are above the national average.