Holidays during school term time
Petitions debate
The petition
In March 2024, Christopher Bennett created a petition asking the Government to 'Allow students to be taken out of school for two weeks a year without penalty.'
Over 254,000 people agreed with Christopher and signed his petition.
Petitions debate
The Petitions Committee scheduled a debate on the petition in Westminster Hall.
It was led by Dave Robertson MP on Monday 25 November 2024.
During the debate, Dave shared his view about why the petition received so many signatures:
"There is a reason that this petition has received so much support from so many people from right across the breadth of the United Kingdom: who can say anything to a parent who wants to spend more time with their kids?"
"As the petition clearly sets out, there are families for whom travelling outside term time is quite impossible [...] For children with special needs or in unique situations, travelling at very busy times can be challenging."
Dave also spoke about his meeting with Christopher, and the key points that were raised:
"I spoke to the petitioners last Thursday, and they made it clear that they completely understand the importance of kids being in school.
"One of the things the petitioner raised is that, unfortunately, a lot of families who want to build those memories are unable to do so during the school holidays because of affordability.
"They therefore have to take the kids out of school during term time, because they believe it important to enable their kids to enjoy their childhoods."
Government response
The Minister for Early Education, Stephen Morgan MP, responded to the debate on behalf of the Government.
He began by recognising the MPs' contributions to the debate and the impact of high holiday prices on families:
"Let me start by acknowledging the points made by Members across the Chamber on the issue of holidays in particular. I sympathise with families who, for a variety of reasons, wish to avoid the busier and more expensive periods.
"This Government are acting decisively to tackle absence via a new approach rooted in responsibility, partnership and belonging.
"That includes supporting schools and recognising that they have important responsibilities to create a welcoming, engaging and inclusive environment for children, and it also include parents’ legal responsibility to send their children to school every day that they can. That is why we will not automatically grant two weeks of term-time absence to every pupil."
The Minister highlighted the Government's commitment to maximising pupil attendance, outlining several Government measures to tackle pupil absences:
- Free breakfast clubs in primary schools.
- Access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.
- Inclusion for children with SEND within mainstream settings right across the age range.
- £1 billion in extra funding to help schools with additional costs.
The Minister concluded his speech by stating:
"I acknowledge [...] that family holidays can be enriching activities, but we are not ashamed of the importance that we place on children attending school.
"Absence is one of the biggest barriers to success for children and young people. Minimising absence of any kind is crucial if we are to ensure that they reach their full potential."
Christopher's response
"It was a good experience to see our petition growing from something we feel passionate about to making it to Parliament.
"It's refreshing to know when enough people feel strongly about something we can try to make a difference."
Watch the debate
E-petition debate relating to holidays during school term time
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