On the Beach urges schools to adopt inset week to avoid term-time holiday absences

More than a third of parents (37%) took their children out of education for a holiday in the 2024-25 school year, new research from On the Beach found.

 

The trend shows no sign of slowing with a half of parents are planning to take their children out of school to go on holiday during the current academic year.

 

This comes despite nearly 500,000 families bing fined by the Department for Education last year for term-time absences.

 

The OTA believes an alternative would be for schools to group five mandatory inset days a year together to create a single ‘inset week’ that is staggered by region.

 

This would address the growing issue of parents removing their children from school to take advantage of lower off-peak prices.

 

Families of four have reported savings of up to £1,400 per trip by holidaying during term time, when lower demand cuts hotel and flight prices.

 

On the Beach is calling on millions of parents across England and Wales to  write to their child’s headteacher to ask for an inset week.

 

The company has written to 25,000 schools, asking headteachers to implement an Inset Week.

 

A ready-to-send letter is also being offered to parents, asking headteachers to rethink inset days in a move that could unlock major savings on family breaks and reduce term time holiday absences, according to the company.

 

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of those polled said they would contact their child’s headteacher to ask for an inset week.

 

By creating a dedicated inset week, On the Beach says families would no longer face fines, as they would have access to holidays at a fraction of peak-season prices.

 

Just 1% of schools currently operate inset weeks. Among them Python Hill Academy in Nottinghamshire, which is supporting On the Beach’s campaign and encouraging others to adopt the approach.

 

Academy principal Andy Stirland said: “We have been running an inset week, which is tagged onto the spring bank holiday in May, for the last seven years.

 

“Inset week has allowed families at our school the option of cheaper holidays while maintaining our attendance figures. 

 

“Our school attendance figures have been above the national average every year and I believe without inset week this would be a very different story.

 

“Parents should not be faced with fines or enforcement for wanting to spend family time together.”

 

On the Beach chief customer officer Zoe Harris said: “Families shouldn’t have to choose between following the rules and being able to afford time away together.

 

“The real frustration we hear is that parents can see cheaper off-peak holidays, but there’s no straightforward way to access them without their children missing school, and that’s exactly where Inset Weeks can help.

 

“Approximately 25,000 headteachers hold the key to getting more families on holiday for less, boosting attendance figures and solving a problem that the Department for Education has run out of answers to. Inset Weeks are the answer.”