There is currently much debate in the UK on school attendance and parents who choose to take kids out of school to benefit from cheaper holiday costs during term time.   The debate is often framed as quite basic in that taking kids out of school impacts their learning however I feel the issue is more complex and multifaceted, touching upon academic performance, mental health, family bonding, and socioeconomic factors. As education systems around the world emphasize the importance of regular attendance for student outcomes, families face the challenge of balancing these demands with the need for quality time together. This balance becomes particularly complex when families consider taking children out of school during term time to take advantage of cheaper travel options.

School Attendance

Regular school attendance is widely recognized as a key factor in academic success. Many studies show that students who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve higher grades and perform better on standardised tests.   Additionally, schools provide students with a structured environment where they can develop important social skills, learn to work in teams, and build friendships. These experiences being essential for developing emotional intelligence and resilience, with attendance at school therefore being a prerequisite.

But attendance is not just about being present; it’s about engaging with the curriculum, participating in class discussions, and building relationships with teachers and peers. An unhappy child is unlikely to be “fully” present so this might point to the importance of family time and holidays possibly.

We also need to consider that the attendance discussion is largely being promoted from the point of view of government, from that central viewpoint where, on average, students with poorer attendance achieve less than those with good attendance.   But there is an issue in terms of how “achievement” is measured as it is often measured in terms of exams or standardised tests;   Are these tests, this grading and categorising of students all that really matters?   Or is there more to education than a GCSE or an A-Level?

Family Time

While the importance of school attendance is generally clear, family time is equally crucial for a child’s development and well-being.  Quality time spent with family fosters a sense of security, builds strong relationships, and provides opportunities for parents to impart values and life skills. For many families, vacations and time spent together are important for bonding and creating lasting memories.  In today’s fast-paced world, both parents and children often lead busy lives, and taking a break to relax and enjoy each other’s company can reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing. These moments of respite are essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and preventing burnout.

Traveling with family can also be educational. Exposure to new cultures, environments, and experiences can broaden a child’s perspective and enhance their learning in ways that classroom education sometimes cannot, igniting curiosity, encouraging a love for learning, and providing practical lessons in geography, history, and social studies.

But for many families, the cost of travel during peak school holiday times can be prohibitively expensive where traveling during term time can make vacations more affordable.   So, some parents may decide to take kids from school to allow for a family holiday and their children to experience destinations they might otherwise not be able to visit. This economic consideration is particularly relevant for lower-income families who may have limited opportunities for leisure travel outside of term time.

Conclusion

The current attendance or lost learning argument is yet another false dichotomy.   Additionally, we need to be careful in viewing holiday time with parents as frivolous and without any educational value.  This is a very simplistic view of learning, and might result from the narrow association of learning with traditional exams and standardised testing.    Learning is much broader, more nuanced and more complex than this.

I feel there is a balance to be reached as parents taking students out of school, when done proportionately and with appropriate communication with the school, can have educational and more importantly wellbeing benefits.    It is therefore very much about the relationship between school and parent, accepting that both have a responsibility for learning, and that such responsibility is interdependent.

Or maybe schools should look to vary their timetables to challenge the holiday, supply-and-demand model, or the travel agents need to be challenged on their pricing model and prevented from pushing prices so high during the holiday periods?    Sadly I suspect these options are difficult to implement, so it is very much about school and parents communicating and working together.