“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.”

“While my daughters have been in education, i have had to put up with staff shortages whether its going off sick or on a course which sometimes has been for weeks not just the odd day. then theres the school closures for bad weather, okay i understand the safety aspect but i feel sometimes its just an excuse because its too much trouble ,then theres the matter of sixth form, well i totally agree with the comments from Dumdo, that it is a complete let down.I really cannot see how the odd holiday can affect pupils if their attendance is good and it is nowhere near exams.”

“I personally think everyone has diffrent circumstances, I make comment to Damien, his comment suggested the teachers taking time of during term time, maybe this is why alot of them are of sick. I also do not believe teachers should be allowed time of to be trained in our childrens school time..I think teacher training days should be done in teacher time after school for instance, Parents have to find child care at great expense without this time being given back to the parents. I do not see the teachers giving the week a year training back to parents and shortening the summer break. I think teachers are spoilt, they have more holidays than any other workers, they do not mark papers that is contracted out, so maybe just maybe they should be more accomadating to parents who cant take holidays during the busiest parts of the year, when school has finished.”

“I think it totally depends on the individual family and child. If the parents think the child is doing well enough at school to be able to catch up with the work easily, then they should be allowed to take their child on holiday in term time.”

“here here chris wild. Finally someone who makes sense. I think a lot of you are taking this out of context and we need to stick to reality its not an oppurtunity to make yourselves sound big. as i said before its parents discretion and im sure they are aware of the outcome”

“In an ideal world, holidays would cost no more at school holiday times than at any other. In the real world we all know that holiday related businesses have to maximise the profit potential, so who can blame them for charging accordingly. One has to strike a balance. A holiday taken as a family is part of a child's socialisation upbringing and in it's own way every bit as important as academic learning. It will depend on many factors apertaining to the child/children involved. Obviously it makes no sense to take a child out of school just before exam times. On the other hand a few days extra before the formal end of a Summer term will make little or no difference to the overall educational progress of a child/children who is coping well at school. Family life is just as important for all children and if their parents simply cannot afford a family holiday at peak times then I see no problem. Likewise a family that say elected to take their children on a holiday of an educational nature could in no way be criticised simply because they took a few days away from formal education.”