The current rules around school holidays are rigid, outdated, and punishing for everyday families. While wealthier households find ways around them, others are hit with fines, lectures, and labels of neglect—just for trying to enjoy a short break together.

We’re calling for a simple, controlled change:

A small annual allowance of up to five days off per student, with clear approval rules.

Families could use this to take holidays outside of peak pricing windows, without penalty. This wouldn’t replace summer holidays—it would offer flexibility around them.

Why it matters:

• Holiday prices are deliberately inflated in school breaks—often up to eight times the normal cost. That’s unaffordable for many. With more flexibility, demand would spread, which could stabilise prices. It might mean holidays are twice as expensive all year—instead of a brutal spike that locks out working families.

• Mental health counts. A couple of affordable weekends away can make all the difference for stressed, overworked parents. Right now, many don’t even try—because of the threat of fines and strongly worded letters accusing them of failing their children. Let’s be honest: a happy, recharged parent is better for a child’s wellbeing than a resentful one running on empty.

• Kids benefit too. Happier homes, stronger bonds, and the chance to experience more of the world are all part of a healthy upbringing. If done sensibly, this won’t harm education—it’ll support the families doing their best.

Of course, there’d be rules:

• The allowance wouldn’t apply during exams or core assessments.
• It would depend on good attendance.
• Schools would retain discretion to approve or deny based on reason and impact.

This isn’t about undermining education—it’s about giving families room to breathe. Five days won’t wreck a school year, but it could make a massive difference to the lives of those trying hardest to do things right.

Let’s stop pretending the current system works. It’s time to modernise it—for fairness, for families, and for the mental health of those raising the next generation.

Sign the petition to support a smarter, more family friendly holiday policy.