Here is the rewritten version:
My children once boasted perfect attendance records, attending school regardless of minor ailments or illnesses. However, as other parents prepared for the new term, my family opted for a different path—a fortnight filled with theme parks, beach excursions, and memory-making in Orlando, Florida. Our decision to withdraw them from school during term time was not made lightly but was driven by financial practicality and a desire to create lasting memories.
I soon discovered that I wasn’t alone in this choice. According to TravelSupermarket, a holiday package comparison site, 30% of family holiday searches from England are for the week before the official school break. Like us, these families have likely encountered the staggering costs of traveling during school holidays.
Our original plan entailed booking flights, accommodation, and tickets separately. However, when we looked into it, flights during the school break were an eye-watering £8,000 for our family of four in economy class. So, we started playing with the dates—and that’s when things got interesting. By staggering our return date slightly later, we saved a significant sum. Missing one day of school cut our costs by around £500; missing two days brought further reductions. Ultimately, we realized that by flying home one week after the schools go back, we’d save over £4,000 just on flights! The villa we wanted was also cheaper during this time, and we could both take time off work without the usual challenges of coordinating with other parents.
In addition to the financial savings, we’ve found that taking our children out of school for special experiences has enriched their lives and not impeded their education. Last year, we enjoyed several one-off days away from school and work, making the most of reduced crowds, lower costs, and less stress—all contributing to a more enjoyable experience overall.
For our Orlando trip, our children will miss five days of school, but we’ll save over £5,000, which also allowed us to upgrade our seats on the flights. Even if we were fined (£120 per parent, per child), we’d still be ahead financially by over £4,500.
We would have preferred to travel in the week before the holidays, but the financial savings weren’t as significant for that timeframe; perhaps holiday companies are wise to this tactic! Nonetheless, we considered our children’s schooling and made sure to bring books for the plane, incorporate practical math exercises while out and about, and engage them in conversations about school topics.
The looming teacher strikes have also influenced our perspective on term-time holidays. Last year, my children experienced two terms of uncertainty due to frequent strike action. I spent days rearranging my work and losing income to accommodate these unexpected disruptions. The sense of unease among the children, so soon after the lockdown trauma, was palpable—and it made me question the double standard of schools not facing levies for missing teaching days while parents are fined for keeping their children at home.
I informed my children’s schools about their upcoming absence and honestly shared our reasons. My partner and I were prepared to accept any fines or judgment that might follow. Interestingly, we found support from other parents and even some teachers who understood our rationale and expressed envy!
While we acknowledge the privilege of being able to offer these experiences to our children, we believe they contribute significantly to a rich and fulfilling childhood—one that justifies withdrawing them from school during term time on rare occasions.