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Three-quarters of parents back term-time holiday campaigner

Almost three-quarters (73%) of British parents sided with term-time holiday campaigner Jon Platt in a new survey.

Platt lost his High Court battle for the right to take his children out of school during term time earlier this year.

However, when asked whether it is wrong to fine parents who take children on holiday during term time, two-thirds (66%) of the 1,000 parents polled by online flight booker Kiwi.com agreed.

The data also reveals that 8 in 10 (81%) parents think holiday costs are too high during the peak summer months of July and August. This is the main reason why they take their children out of school during term-time.

Visiting family and relatives abroad is also a contributing factor to term-time absences as it seems getting everyone together can only ever be done around expensive holiday periods such as Christmas and the summer holidays.

More than two-fifths (44%) of parents have taken their children out of school for family/relative related reasons, the research found.

Almost half (49%) of British families have taken their children out of school in term-time and estimate they save £686 on average.

As a result, one in two parents (58%) would take their children on holiday during term-time.

Despite seven in 10 parents (70%) being fined by their local council, half of those would do it again.

Almost half of parents (48%) also find it hard to get the time off work during the holidays as they are competing with so many other parent colleagues who want the time off.

This has resulted in arguments with management and colleagues, being bullied into taking time off, and even feeling so pressured that they have considered leaving their jobs.

Kiwi.com chief marketing officer Stephen Davis said: “Each year the school holiday period heavily impacts the cost of flights abroad, meaning families have to pay unnecessary premiums for their annual trip abroad, or battle with colleagues to bag the holiday time from work first to avoid missing out.”

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