Written Question·Department for Education·UIN 90526

Pupils: Absenteeism

Tabled: 12 November 2025
Answered: 24 November 2025

Question

Rupert Lowe

Restore Britain — Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will consider updating guidance to allow headteachers to use their own discretion to allow parents to take their children out of school for holidays during term time.

Answer

Olivia Bailey
​The department has no plans to review our approach to term-time holidays. Schools can grant pupils a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances at their discretion, judging each application on the specific facts. However, generally a holiday would no...
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