General Chat

I think it would be better to cut prices as how many times do you go for a free child place to find none avaliable....

HOLIDAYS TO CUT TRUANTS Ministers have struck a deal with the travel industry to offer cheaper holidays in an attempt to stop parents taking children out of school during term. Officials estimate that one in six children who are playing truant are in fact away with their parents as families try to avoid the high prices of breaks during school holidays. The Department for Education and the Association of British Travel Agents announced the plan as the Government prepares to publish the latest truancy figures this week. The scheme will include incentives such as free places for children and hundreds of pounds off family holidays booked early. From November, early booking holiday deals will be promoted through a dedicated website for the campaign, called Every Lesson Counts. ABTA and the main tour operators, including Thomas Cook, Kuoni, Virgin and others are also expected to promote deals for the Christmas break and next year's summer holidays. Under a trial scheme operating last year, offers included a guaranteed free child place per booking, 50% discounts for up to two children sharing with two adults and ?400 off holidays in Florida and California. Officials said headteachers have been taking an increasingly tough line with parents who remove their children from school to go on holiday.

SOUNDS A GOOD DEAL!! i for one are guilty of this, taking the eldest out of school so we can all have a family holiday, mainly because, hubby has his holidays given to him on a rota. he does not get to pick when he's allowed to take them. so much for family friendly policies... lynnxx

wendy, a big big difference, a few hundred quid between them.. lynnxx

Wendy, we go to Centre Parcs just after the kids go back to school in September and the price is nearly half of what it would be in August. At the moment my kids are pre school, but we will just have to stop going on holidays like that when they are at school. I will probably wait for a late deal and take my chance. I undertand the holiday industry is a business, but I just can't afford to take two kids away at peak times. :o( Claire xx

Bendy About a grand We paid around £1600 for a two week half board Mallorca on 21 June...2 adults & 2 children The same holiday in end july/August was around £2600 Hence no holiday next year as our son goes senior school next sept, and we will go from next year during the summer hols. E x

Think it will end up a flash in the pan myself Elaine these things start off with good intentions and then the travel industry will get greedy because they can! It is supply on demand and they will decide what you pay. Dave

But a child only gets one chance at education. Most parents seem to think that taking a child out of school early in September under the age of say 10 does no harm - try being the teacher that has to then devote extra time to catching that child up with what he's missed in such an important time in their learning curve. If you have children and want to take them on holiday, why expect them to go free of charge? jess x

Good idea, Elaine, from the holidaymakers' viewpoint. I doubt the hotel owners and other related businesses will see it that way, as they make their living on a seasonal basis. What they earn in the peak summer holiday season has to last them all year round. Life can be bleak for them in the winter months especially. CB >|<

Its a good idea to have these incentives, but free child places go quickly,how many times do you go for a free child place to find none avaliable.... It should run for all during August and July....not just a percentage of free places etc. E x

Why do people not expect to pay to take their children on holiday - i dont understand!

Jess its because the companies jack the prices up at school holiday time. Davex

Jess I agree with you But we have only taken our children out of school in June (after sats), and only because they have an excellent attendance record. (Son has 100%, and daughter has 97% (due to being ill ) Ive also asked the teacher what they will miss and if they need any catch up work, and for both have been told not to worry, apart from my six year old, who was told to practice her reading etc....in fact she read everything from menus to signs etc lol ! After sats in may/June, the school winds down anyway, so learning is not so intense. ( I help at the school BTW) Elaine x

Are the prices 'jacked up' purely for the school holidays or is it also when the weather is presumed to be at it's best? If schools rotated their holidays this would prevent the surge in holiday requests, all at the same time, thus a levelling out of prices may occur. Ken x

I don't think there is such a thing free child places. In my experience if you book an apartment for say 4, get one place free the occupancy is only 3 so you then pay a supplement. Many years ago, I booked a holiday for 2 adults and 3 children, I free, 1 half price, 1 full price, we were asked to pay a heavty supplement as the occupancy was classed as three full fare payments, it actually worked out about £20 less than paying for 5 adult prices. You end up paying in the end. Sue

Jess In regards to expecting to pay for my kids to go on holiday, we always have. But if it makes families who struggle to afford a holiday, have the chance for a holiday then a reduction in price is great and welcome. Whether it comes from a free child place, or a reduction for the whole family. For years families have been penalised for having children and being only able to take a holiday during the school hols. It was the first foreign holiday the kids have ever had this year (blooming rain last year again in Butlins...) and we saved up hard (and used clubcard points saved for 2 years) Also Ive noticed, that although there are free places for kids, there are also supplements you have to add on to them, so in fact...their place is not truly free at all. Self catering also appears cheaper, but normally the occupancy is for 4 adults...so by the time you add the supplements , then pay for eating out and food etc, you may as well go half board Elaine x

Elaine I don't suppose this includes holidays in Britain does it. Jess I don't expect free holidays for my kids. What I do object to is having to pay a couple of hundred extra for the exact same holiday in the same type of caravan just because it's August/summer holidays. Juliexx

i think it a disgrace!! what a country !! LAUGHABLE!!! parents should be stopping their children from truancy, another case of kid gloves!!

Doesn't effect me now as I'm a Nana but I have always thought that it would be better to divide the year into four terms. That way the children do not get bored with being home for six weeks in one stretch & parents have diferent seasons to chose for the holiday. Vivienne

Roxanne I believe they are talking about truancy in the aspect pf parents making their kids truant from school in order to take them on a holiday out of school holidays. Not kids 'Bunking off'. And the government is at least stepping in the right direction by addressing this problem My kids school, at the moment has a policy where you can have 10 authorised days off for holidays etc.. And as a parent who cannot afford (at the moment) to take my kids on holiday owing to the massively hiked priced during the school hols, I resent being made to feel as if I am a bad parent for putting my kids first and taking them during term time. I don't think parents who take their kids on a holiday should have them labelled as truants, or be told that they should deal with their children for doing so. Maybe Roxanne, if you had kids (Do you?) and lived in THIS country, you may be a little more sympathetic to those who wish to take a holiday with their children, one that they can afford.,,,not all of us have massively paid jobs to take holidays at expensive times of the year. Elaine x