As we approach long winter evenings many parents will be planning their family summer break to the sun. It’s no secret that holidays during children’s school term times can be much cheaper than in the main six-week school break, and this encourages many families to look into the idea of taking their child out of school during the academic year to facilitate a cheaper family holiday.

The school recognizes that time spent together as a family, exploring and experiencing different cultures, and just having fun are all so vitally important in developing fully rounded and confident members of society. However, missing school causes severe disruption to your child’s education, and study after study shows that it affects their performance in exams and chances later in life.

The legal position is clear regarding the parents’ duty to ensure their child receives an education. However I appeal to you to consider the longer term cost to your child’s education and resulting future life opportunities; and plan your holiday’s to allow them to thrive and achieve in school.