“Teachers often complain about parents taking their children out of school for holidays (this often the only choice for parents who are allocated their holidays a year in advance, which doesn't conveniently coincide with the excessive school holidays). We really do think that the teachers should take a serious look at themselves for once, as they themselves deprive a good 10 days per year of pupils education by taking so called, "in-service days " during term time. As most other professionals have to adhere to continued professional development requirements in their own time, we strongly feel that teachers should also find this time to do likewise, especially as they all have a more than generous 3 month plus holiday per year (bearing in mind that the majority of working people only get 25 - 30 days a year, if they are lucky!). In addition to this the teachers, by restructiring the term times, have also conveniently given themselves yet a further few more days holidays per year (how convenient!). What about fining the schools for so called, "in-service" days during term times which equally deprives our pupils of valued education time !.”

“I am a teacher; so is my husband. Our children have now grown up, but we always managed to take them on holiday during the school breaks, even though I was only working very part-time. There was no other option. It's possible to find some amazing bargains on the Internet, and you don't have to go abroad and spend a fortune to have a wonderful family holiday.”

“Taking holidays in term time should be between the school and the parents. It is not the business of MPs to tell schools how to run their business - let's face it, most MPs couldn't run a whelk stall. Let the schools manage it.

Don't stop there either: delete all the ridiculous ill-thought-out targets and give each of us the right to make our own judgement about what constitutes a good school.”

“If a child is performing poorly at school then time off during the term is clearly going to be a bad thing.

If a child is doing fine & will be able to catch up without additional pressures on the teacher & the rest of the class then I don't see there's a problem.

Why should responsible parents of able children who will not be disadvantaged by a little bit of term-time holiday be held back by less able children or irresponsible parents who don't work with their kids to help them learn?

Each case should be decided on its own merits.”

“I've had a lot of time off of my school due to the sports that i do, but it doesn't mean i miss schoolwork. When i come back i borrow books from my friends and copy down work that i need to know. As long as you understand the work you've missed and have thoroughly learnt about it yourself then you should be fine. Children should be allowed holidays for various reasons also, socialising with different cultures perhaps, experience etc. Though i am against the holidays that some parents book that aren't benificial to students in any way shape or form, the ones that are in Cornwall or London. They are the ones that should be booked for in the holidays as they cause no utter importance, as do any holidays really but it's not neccesary for so much work to be missed. Onlt to travel a couple of hundred miles.”