The sun glistens cinematically across the ocean. You’ve got a freshly made mojito in one hand, and an immersive novel in the other. Perhaps one more chapter and then a swim in the warm sea?

And tomorrow, well, who knows? It’s a holiday after all. And this year, it’s cost you a lot, lot less: you’ve taken your break during term time.

The cost of family holidays

A quick look online will show the difference in price between term-time and school holidays. For example, take a trip for two adults and two children above the age of two to Mexico in January. Flights and all-inclusive accommodation for 10 days can be found for just over £3,000. Looking at the same location and package in August, the price is at least double this. 

It’s the same situation whether you are booking two weeks in Skegness or Sardinia. In some cases,  the holidays are three times as expensive. 

Parents are able to weigh up the pros and cons of going on holiday during term time. Missed learning is of key concern. When will their child catch up with their school work? And what will the impact of gaps in their child’s education be? They also have to consider the fact that in many schools, including my own, they will receive a fine of £60 per child for unauthorised absences of five consecutive days or more. 

Easy decision

For some of my parents, especially those on low incomes, the cost difference of thousands of pounds between holidays in term time and breaks during school holidays means it’s a no brainer. The fine, and disapproving letters about their child’s attendance, are subsequently taken on the chin.

And I am unable to convince myself that many trips taken are not educational or are of detriment to their child’s wellbeing. Quite the opposite is true: children learn so much about life and are more relaxed and happier for the breaks. 

Teachers don’t get the choice. They can’t weigh up the pros and cons of a fine or of missed teaching: they just can’t go. 

I think that needs to change. 

Term-time holidays for teachers?

“But it’s unworkable!” you claim. 

Maybe not.

Here’s an idea: the system could change so that every teacher is encouraged to have a two-week holiday on full pay during term time.

This could be paid for either from a pot of money provided by the government, specifically to enable cover during that period, or by teachers “buying” the time through running boosters or interventions during holiday time. Or both.

Why would the government pay for it? Because it would have a huge impact on teacher retention, and be a huge boost to recruitment. Two of the biggest issues in teaching would be on the way to being solved. 

How would the “buy back” work? Instead of schools spending cash on interventions, teachers would instead run boosters and extra teaching during school holidays, weekends or evenings. The money saved would pay for their holiday in term time.

If you think the parents would be unhappy, well, I would offer them a deal: provided that parents and their children can demonstrate how their holiday has improved the education and overall wellbeing of the child, they should be allowed two weeks’ holiday in term time, too.

As for the impact of losing a teacher for two weeks: any lost learning time will have consequences, but that’s where the educational and wellbeing merits of two weeks off will balance that out.

I know that my suggestion may well go down very badly with those outside of education, but, after 25 years in the job, I frankly don’t care. I think that the education system, with its thousands of teachers and pupils, deserves the opportunity to go on holiday at the same cost to the pocket as everyone else.

Imagine it: a teacher comes back full of stories about where they have been and the cultural and wellbeing insights they have brought back with them. And then the week after, a pupil comes back with a whole new set of experiences. And everyone is happier, more eager to learn, more willing to engage.

Isn’t that worth the hassle of a couple of weeks of upheaval?

Mike Fairclough is headteacher of West Rise primary in East Sussex