Secondary school offers children an 'enrichment' week off during term time to give parents holiday opportunities 'that are more affordable'

• e-mail

A secondary school has announced that parents will be able to take their children on holiday during term time for an 'enrichment week' next year.

In a letter to parents Woodlands School in Basildon, Essex, which has more than 1,500 pupils, said pupils in years seven, eight and nine will be allowed July 15 to 19 2019 off.

The school added it will allow parents to give their children 'opportunities that are more affordable' - but those pupils granted the week off will still have work to do.

A secondary school has announced that parents will be able to take their children on holiday during term time for an 'enrichment week' next year (Pictured: Head teacher Simon Cox)

Head teacher Simon Cox said if the pupils are taken out of school that week they must complete an educational booklet showing what they have learned.

He told the BBC: 'If, for example, a family went to Greece, we'd need to see that they have mastered some basic communication, for geography we'd need to see key information around GDP and population, for history, the type of place and how the past has impacted, English would be about literature and maths will centre around currency.' 

Parents who decide to take their children out during that week will have to fill out a leave of absence form and ensure their child completes the educational booklet.

For those pupils who remain in school that week, Mr Cox said 'a full list of enrichment activities will be provided that week'.

In a letter to parents Woodlands School in Basildon, Essex, which has more than 1,500 pupils, said pupils in years seven, eight and nine will be allowed July 15 to 19 2019 off

The letter to parents ends: 'Holidays at any other time of the year will not be granted and this enrichment week is not transferable to any other week in the school year.'

The school made the decision to offer the enrichment week as children are still being taken on foreign holidays during academic term-time - regardless of both £60 fines and government warnings to the contrary. 

He added: 'We get an awful lot of holiday requests - well over 150 a year. Our authorised holiday is already 1 per cent and we've got 2.9 per cent unauthorised absence.' 

The announcement has been met with praise from parents including Jane Chapman, left, and Christina Murton, right, who labelled it a 'great move'

The announcement has been met with praise from parents who labelled it a 'great move'.

Darren Sheard, 42, said: 'It is a good idea. Certain families who can't afford to take their children away there's a benefit and they are learning too. 

'It is not cheap to take your family away, even in this country you are looking at over £1,000. 

'My mate is going to Vegas with his wife and two daughters and it has cost him £12,000.' 

Karen Batman, 44, said: 'It is a great idea and it is a shame we are going to miss out as my son wont be in year nine when it happens – it is a fantastic opportunity they are giving the pupils. 

'We can't afford to go away in the school holidays all the time, we have to think if it is a day out or a week away. 

'It is not just about going abroad there is so much to see in this country which they wouldn't be able to see before.' 

Jane Chapman, 50, said: 'It is a great idea, it is just a shame we are going to miss out on. The next thing would be for the travel companies to fall in line. 

'At the moment you are looking at £1,000 per person to go away.' 

Christina Murton, 43, said: 'At the moment we are priced out of a lot of places as a family of four. By going away earlier, you can take them further away and they can see more exotic places. 

'They will be able to learn more about the country too if they focus on different aspects , like the geography and currency they might not notice.' 

Parents Darren Sheard, left, and Karen Batman, right, were among those who praised the move

More pupils took term-time holidays last year, according to new figures, while the proportion of parents fined for taking their youngsters out of school without permission fell.

Official figures show around one in six youngsters (16.9%) missed at least a half day of lessons during the 2016/17 academic year, compared to 14.7% the year before.

Separate data published by the Department for Education shows the number of penalty notices issued to mothers and fathers for their child's unauthorised absence dropped by 5.4% between the two academic years.

The majority of fines issued – more than three-quarters (77.5%) – were for unauthorised holidays, the statistics show.