I am a parent, much like countless others across the UK, who firmly believes in the importance of consistent school attendance for my children. Despite their excellent record, recent changes introduced by the Department of Education now penalise families like mine if they take yearly leave over a rolling three-year period.

This new guidance, rolled out in 2022, unduly affects families with children aged 5 and above. As a collective, we strive to maintain the balance between our children's academic commitments and their much-needed recreation time during the school holidays. Yet, we continually face unjust pressures from holiday companies that sharply inflate their prices during these crucial break periods. This financial strain is making it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for many families to afford these precious yearly holidays.

According to Civitas, UK holiday prices surge by up to 115% when schools are on vacation. Their report titled 'The School Holiday Price Penalty' raises serious concerns about how families are being exploited when trying to book their holidays. It becomes a choice between succumbing to these exploitative practices or risking prosecution by taking leave outside of holiday periods- neither of which are in the best interests of our children or families.

Holiday companies must not misuse these power dynamics to financially overburden families who wish to enjoy a well-earned break while abiding by the school attendance guidelines. I urge the relevant authorities and regulatory bodies to tackle this issue effectively, safeguarding the rights of families to accessible and reasonably priced holiday alternatives but also for the department of Education to review their holidays in term time amendments and remove the 3 year rolling period which could result in a lot of innocent parents and families being prosecuted for just trying to educate our children on the world's amazing cultures, wellbeing and memories.

Please sign this petition to call for fairer pricing and the department of Education to make the changes for families across the UK during school holiday periods.