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| Family holidays – would staggered school terms help keep the cost down? | Family holidays – would staggered school terms help keep the cost down? |
| (7 months later) | |
| Sarah Ryman, a mother of two school-age children, is well aware of the high cost of going on holiday at peak times. “We would typically have to spend about £3,000 on an all-inclusive week’s holiday abroad in the summer, and we can’t afford to do that every year,” said the marketing consultant from Brighton. | Sarah Ryman, a mother of two school-age children, is well aware of the high cost of going on holiday at peak times. “We would typically have to spend about £3,000 on an all-inclusive week’s holiday abroad in the summer, and we can’t afford to do that every year,” said the marketing consultant from Brighton. |
| Her experience echoes that of many parents for whom an affordable break during the school holidays is a pipedream. There may be some relief in sight for Sarah and her husband Rob, as Brighton and Hove city council is considering adapting the school term timetable to make holidays cheaper for local families. The city’s schools are now being informally consulted about the best way to do this. | Her experience echoes that of many parents for whom an affordable break during the school holidays is a pipedream. There may be some relief in sight for Sarah and her husband Rob, as Brighton and Hove city council is considering adapting the school term timetable to make holidays cheaper for local families. The city’s schools are now being informally consulted about the best way to do this. |
| The cost of holidays varies hugely between the weeks when children are in school and the weeks when they have their half-term and summer holidays – in some cases by more than 150%, according to a survey by The Observer. | The cost of holidays varies hugely between the weeks when children are in school and the weeks when they have their half-term and summer holidays – in some cases by more than 150%, according to a survey by The Observer. |
| A week’s holiday for a family of four in a two-bed apartment in the Spanish island of Gran Canaria costs £2,777 during the February half-term – compared with £1,102 for the same apartment a week earlier. A ski break in the French Alps will come in at £2,432 for half-term, but a week earlier the price is just £1,000. In the UK a two-bed woodland lodge in the Center Parcs resort of Whinfell Forest, Cumbria, is priced at £1,628 for the week beginning 12 February, but only £878 the previous week – an increase of 85%. | A week’s holiday for a family of four in a two-bed apartment in the Spanish island of Gran Canaria costs £2,777 during the February half-term – compared with £1,102 for the same apartment a week earlier. A ski break in the French Alps will come in at £2,432 for half-term, but a week earlier the price is just £1,000. In the UK a two-bed woodland lodge in the Center Parcs resort of Whinfell Forest, Cumbria, is priced at £1,628 for the week beginning 12 February, but only £878 the previous week – an increase of 85%. |
| The sharp difference in prices means that holidays are simply not within the budget of some families – prompting calls for more flexible school holidays. A recent survey of parents by Halifax found that almost one in four can’t afford a summer holiday at all. | The sharp difference in prices means that holidays are simply not within the budget of some families – prompting calls for more flexible school holidays. A recent survey of parents by Halifax found that almost one in four can’t afford a summer holiday at all. |
| In Brighton, one option under consultation is to coordinate “inset” days (school training days which take place on dates decided by the council) into a block to create a long weekend, or even a full week’s break, at a time when holidays are less expensive, perhaps in March. Another option is to reduce the summer break and create an additional “stand alone” week’s holiday, potentially during October or November. | In Brighton, one option under consultation is to coordinate “inset” days (school training days which take place on dates decided by the council) into a block to create a long weekend, or even a full week’s break, at a time when holidays are less expensive, perhaps in March. Another option is to reduce the summer break and create an additional “stand alone” week’s holiday, potentially during October or November. |
| “I often hear people saying the six-week summer holiday is too long and also that the autumn term is too long,” councillor Tom Bewick said. | “I often hear people saying the six-week summer holiday is too long and also that the autumn term is too long,” councillor Tom Bewick said. |
| If schools are amenable to the council’s idea, more concrete consultations with schools and parents will then begin, with a final decision expected in the summer. | If schools are amenable to the council’s idea, more concrete consultations with schools and parents will then begin, with a final decision expected in the summer. |
| The news was welcomed by the Department for Education, along with Abta, the travel association, which for years has been calling for local authorities in different regions of the UK to spread out school holidays. | The news was welcomed by the Department for Education, along with Abta, the travel association, which for years has been calling for local authorities in different regions of the UK to spread out school holidays. |
| “At the moment, parents are a captive market, driving demand for breaks during the school holidays, which in turn pushes up prices,” said Sean Tipton, an Abta spokesman. “Stagger the school holidays and you spread demand. That will enable parents to take advantage of cheaper prices.” | “At the moment, parents are a captive market, driving demand for breaks during the school holidays, which in turn pushes up prices,” said Sean Tipton, an Abta spokesman. “Stagger the school holidays and you spread demand. That will enable parents to take advantage of cheaper prices.” |
| Under the current structure, academies, foundation, voluntary aided and foundation special schools have the power to set their own term dates, while local authorities are responsible for setting term dates for community and voluntary controlled schools. | Under the current structure, academies, foundation, voluntary aided and foundation special schools have the power to set their own term dates, while local authorities are responsible for setting term dates for community and voluntary controlled schools. |
| “We encourage local authorities to listen sympathetically to arguments for changes to term dates,” a spokesperson for the Department for Education said. | “We encourage local authorities to listen sympathetically to arguments for changes to term dates,” a spokesperson for the Department for Education said. |
| However, Tipton says an ad hoc approach by individual schools and councils is not the solution. “Stagger school holidays in a structured way by region – as they do in Germany – and the date changes are less likely to be a problem for parents who work at different local schools to the ones their children attend, and also parents with one child at primary school and another at secondary school. It would also enable local airlines to ensure enough aircraft are available at local airports.” | However, Tipton says an ad hoc approach by individual schools and councils is not the solution. “Stagger school holidays in a structured way by region – as they do in Germany – and the date changes are less likely to be a problem for parents who work at different local schools to the ones their children attend, and also parents with one child at primary school and another at secondary school. It would also enable local airlines to ensure enough aircraft are available at local airports.” |
| Craig Langman, chairman of campaigning group Parents Want a Say, is against staggering school holidays. “Many parents cannot simply take time off work during allocated school holiday periods. They need the flexibility to take the children out of school for up to 10 days a year, at time that suits their work schedule.” | Craig Langman, chairman of campaigning group Parents Want a Say, is against staggering school holidays. “Many parents cannot simply take time off work during allocated school holiday periods. They need the flexibility to take the children out of school for up to 10 days a year, at time that suits their work schedule.” |
| If demand for family holidays becomes more strategically spread out across the year it is also likely to increase off-peak prices for other travellers, Tipton admitted. “You can’t win, can you? But those travellers would then have the option of going away in July and August for less.” | If demand for family holidays becomes more strategically spread out across the year it is also likely to increase off-peak prices for other travellers, Tipton admitted. “You can’t win, can you? But those travellers would then have the option of going away in July and August for less.” |
| Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies, an independent travel industry commentator, thinks staggering school holidays by regions wouldn’t have a significant impact on current off-peak prices. | Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies, an independent travel industry commentator, thinks staggering school holidays by regions wouldn’t have a significant impact on current off-peak prices. |
| “The peak-season price period might get slightly longer, with an overall reduction in low season weeks.” | “The peak-season price period might get slightly longer, with an overall reduction in low season weeks.” |
| Sarah and Rob Ryman would welcome any move to spread out the school holidays and make them cheaper for families. | Sarah and Rob Ryman would welcome any move to spread out the school holidays and make them cheaper for families. |
| “I estimate we’d save at least £1,000 a year if the council created a week’s holiday at an off-peak time,” Sarah said. | “I estimate we’d save at least £1,000 a year if the council created a week’s holiday at an off-peak time,” Sarah said. |
| “Parents have less money than people without kids – it would be fairer if demand were more spread out. Plus, travelling abroad and experiencing different cultures is such an important educational experience for children,” Sarah added. | “Parents have less money than people without kids – it would be fairer if demand were more spread out. Plus, travelling abroad and experiencing different cultures is such an important educational experience for children,” Sarah added. |
| “We’re self-employed, and sometimes we’ve had to take the kids on holiday during term-time, when it’s cheaper and fits in with our businesses. We did this when we went to Australia to visit my sister, and saved £1,500 on the flights alone. We should have paid a £240 fine but, luckily, our school didn’t report us.” | “We’re self-employed, and sometimes we’ve had to take the kids on holiday during term-time, when it’s cheaper and fits in with our businesses. We did this when we went to Australia to visit my sister, and saved £1,500 on the flights alone. We should have paid a £240 fine but, luckily, our school didn’t report us.” |
| WHAT THE LAW SAYS | WHAT THE LAW SAYS |
| Guidance from the Department for Education, issued to schools since September 2013, states headteachers no longer have any discretion to approve absences of up to 10 days a year in “special circumstances”. | Guidance from the Department for Education, issued to schools since September 2013, states headteachers no longer have any discretion to approve absences of up to 10 days a year in “special circumstances”. |
| Unless it is under “exceptional circumstances”, such as a funeral, each parent who deliberately takes a child out of school during term time can be fined £60 by their local council. | Unless it is under “exceptional circumstances”, such as a funeral, each parent who deliberately takes a child out of school during term time can be fined £60 by their local council. |
| This means a family of four - two parents, taking two children out of school - faces a potential fine of £240. This must be paid within 21 days, or it doubles. | This means a family of four - two parents, taking two children out of school - faces a potential fine of £240. This must be paid within 21 days, or it doubles. |
| According to www.gov.uk, the official government website, you may be prosecuted if you don’t pay the fine after 28 days. | According to www.gov.uk, the official government website, you may be prosecuted if you don’t pay the fine after 28 days. |
| However, Huw Lewis, the Welsh education minister, has written to all local education authorities in Wales, advising them that blanket bans on term-time holidays are contrary to Welsh education regulations, emphasising that headteachers can still legally exercise their discretion in relation to authorising absences for up to 10 days per year. | However, Huw Lewis, the Welsh education minister, has written to all local education authorities in Wales, advising them that blanket bans on term-time holidays are contrary to Welsh education regulations, emphasising that headteachers can still legally exercise their discretion in relation to authorising absences for up to 10 days per year. |
| In October, a father who refused to pay the fine allowed his case to go to court, risking a criminal record. He was prosecuted under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, which states that parents are liable for the fine if their children fail to “attend regularly at school”, but successfully argued that taking a child out of school for a single week did not mean he had broken the law. The ruling, however, did not set a legal precedent. | In October, a father who refused to pay the fine allowed his case to go to court, risking a criminal record. He was prosecuted under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, which states that parents are liable for the fine if their children fail to “attend regularly at school”, but successfully argued that taking a child out of school for a single week did not mean he had broken the law. The ruling, however, did not set a legal precedent. |
| Donna Ferguson | Donna Ferguson |
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