I'm a concerned parent, just like many of you. After months of school closure accruing from the COVID-19 pandemic, my children had only just returned to the classroom when my father living abroad became unwell. At the time, if a child in the class contracted COVID-19, it would necessitate all other pupils to isolate, thus jeopardizing our travel plans. So, I made the difficult decision to let my kids miss the last week of school to avoid the risk of mandatory isolation that would have inevitably disrupted our travel. I even offered to home-school them during this time, as we had successfully done for the past 6 months. Yet, despite the extraordinary circumstances and my forthright communication with the school, I was still fined by our local council. 

Quality family time is just as essential to a child's growth and wellbeing as formal education. Parents should have the right to take their children out of school for a family holiday without the fear of financial penalties or reprimands. It's a valid personal decision that supports new cultural experiences, vital family bonding and can even serve to safeguard the wellbeing of family members.

This petition calls for a new policy that allows parents to withdraw their children from school for one week per year without risking fines or sanctions, provided that the safety and development of the child can be convincingly guaranteed. We are not advocating for continual absence, but rather a flexibility within the system that respects the dynamics of modern families and the occasional need for exceptional arrangements. Let us parent how we see fit, in the best interests of our children's wellbeing. We urge the council, Department of Education and local school administrations to heed our call. Please sign this petition to support parents' rights and children's welfare, and help make a change.