With schools tightening up on when children can be taken away on holiday, some parents are taking a new approach to how they holiday. Many families are now taking 'eduvacations', or holidays with a strong educational element. The hope is that this will sweeten the deal with a headteacher when parents want to take their children out of school during term time.
Holidays could include a trip to Egypt to learn all about the Pyramids, or something as simple as looking for fossils on the beaches of the Isle of White. All you need to do is ensure you can prove the trip has an educational benefit.
For many families, going on holiday is the only option due to the increased costs outside of term times.
The Direct.gov website has some guidelines if you must take your children on holiday during school time.
Schools can use their discretion to grant up to 10 days' authorised absence in a school year if both:
- the parent the child normally lives with applies to the school in advance of the holiday
- there are special reasons for the holiday (educational benefits!)
Requests are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, and take into consideration things like the time of year, exam dates, the children's attendance record and how easy it will be for them to catch up on work. They don't really take into consideration the cost of your holiday, availability of accommodation or the weather conditions of your desired holiday destination.
Would you consider taking an eduvacation? Where would you go?
Source: Direct Gov