Head Teachers’ Leader Urges Review of ‘Exorbitant’ Travel Prices During School Holidays

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, argued that the current approach of fining parents for term-time absences is not effective, with recent increases in penalties from £60 to £80 per child failing to act as a greater deterrent.

Parents continue to disregard the rules because they are unwilling to pay the significantly inflated prices charged by travel companies during school holidays, Di’Iasio claimed. He highlighted that some companies charge thousands of pounds more for the same holiday outside term time, forcing parents into difficult decisions.

Referring to recommendations from family charity Parentkind, he suggested the government should review how holidays marketed towards families are priced and reduce the price gap between term-time and holiday-period trips.

Writing in TES (Times Educational Supplement), Di’Iasio said: “It’s understandable that prices rise in response to demand—that’s how capitalism works. However, in this case, it seems the market is exploiting the situation to the fullest extent. There’s a clear argument for government intervention to limit how much travel companies can increase their prices during school holidays. This would ease the pressure on families and schools, reduce absenteeism, and make this less of a divisive issue.”

While acknowledging the importance of the travel industry and the jobs it supports, he noted that the steep price hikes during school breaks could likely be controlled without significantly harming the sector.

“This is a classic balancing act between market freedoms and social good," Di’Iasio added. "It may not be easy, but it’s necessary. Every child should attend school during term time, and every family should be able to enjoy a holiday—these two goals shouldn’t be at odds.”

Di’Iasio pointed to statistics showing that in the 2022-23 academic year, over 350,000 penalty notices were issued for unauthorized family holidays. He also referenced Parentkind’s national parent survey, which revealed that while 76% of parents believe in the importance of school attendance, 57% would still consider taking their child out of school for a holiday, despite the risk of a fine.

He highlighted the contradiction, noting that “most parents support the value of school attendance, yet many are still willing to break the rules due to the financial pressures of holiday pricing.”

Schools, meanwhile, face increased pressure to reduce absenteeism, particularly after the surge in absences following the Covid-19 pandemic. Di’Iasio emphasized the burden on teachers, who must help students catch up after time missed, while noting that attendance is a major focus of Ofsted inspections.

Although the threat of fines has proven ineffective, he warned against scrapping penalties altogether, as this could remove any deterrent for parents.

The issue, Di’Iasio concluded, needs a more balanced approach, where families can afford holidays without undermining the importance of school attendance.

The long-standing issue of families taking children out of school during term time to avoid the high costs of holidays has resurfaced, with a head teachers’ leader calling for action to curb “exorbitant” travel prices during school holidays.

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