IN THE end-of-term newsletter from my daughters school, parents were informed that following Welsh Government guidance, the school will not be authorising family holidays during term time.


Newport LA does not support this and encourages headteachers not to authorise such absences.
Parents do not have the automatic right to withdraw their child from school for a holiday.
This apparently because “research” has shown that levels of attendance has a direct impact on exam results and future earning capacity. So this implies that now, the 10 day discretionary absence is no longer going to be allowed and would be classed as an unauthorised absence.
This is great for those in jobs or who have family circumstances where both parents can get time off during school breaks, and for politicians who enjoy a summer recess and flexible work attendance, but not  for those of us, typically in the private sector, who have attendance/roster patterns which only allow a small percentage of staff off at any one time, and also may have working  partners with restricted leave slots.
It’s not always possible to take the family away within the school holidays.
Also, if school time is so important, why were a number of end-of-term lessons spent watching videos?
Dave Fothergill
St Julian’s Avenue Newport