Lynn area headteachers get tough over holidays in term time
HEADS of ten schools are getting tough over parents taking pupils on holiday during term time.
Schools in the King Edward VII High School cluster are this year aiming for every pupil to have at least 97 per cent attendance, equivalent to missing no more than five days between the start of the autumn term last September and schools breaking up in July.
The chairman of the cluster, Lee Stevens, said any pupil whose attendance was less than 90 per cent would not be authorised for a family holiday, irrespective of the circumstances. Requests for absence for other pupils would only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
Mr Stevens said: “There is no doubt that having excellent attendance is a foundation for being a really successful learner.” 90 per cent attendance equated to missing nearly four weeks of school a year. “A month of missed schooling takes some catching up,” he said.
A lot of local schools were already achieving 95 or 96 per cent attendance and most pupils would be well above 90 per cent. “It varies between schools and depends on the age of the children. Younger ones tend to pick up more bugs and childhood illnesses,” he said.
Mr Stevens, who is head of Whitefriars Primary School, was sympathetic to parents’ concerns about the high cost of trips during school holidays.
“We also understand that cost is not the only consideration and that it’s not always possible for parents to take leave of absence from work during term time. We are not inflexible but wherever it is possible and affordable, we are asking parents to try to have holidays during the school holidays.”
As well as KES and Whitefriars, the cluster includes: St Michael’s, North Wootton, Eastgate and Greyfriars primary schools; South Wootton Junior School; Highgate and South Wootton infant schools; and King’s Lynn Nursery.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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