The education minister has warned parents that they must get permission from the head to take kids for a family holiday outside official school holidays. He has pointed to financial sanctions for those who don't.
There are two problems with this: the existing rules and the financial arithmetic. Heads have the discretion to grant up to 10 school days' leave of absence for the purpose of family holidays during term time. Heads may also grant more than 10 days in exceptional circumstances.
But, as Alan Cogswell, chief education officer with Bury Council, told the BBC: "If the schools fail to authorise the absence then the school's truancy figure will go up, which is counter to government policy."
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