Holiday prices in school holidays is a much-debated topic

Sunderland Education Authority's Every Schoolday Counts scheme is working with Hays Travel to offer a 10% discount through a voucher scheme.

The discount will be available to families who take their primary school children away during the official school holidays.

Holiday prices in and out of school time is a hotly-debated national topic.

Sunderland is the first authority in the North East to work proactively with a holiday company.

Leaflet campaign

Campaign leaders say it could save an average family �180 and has the potential to benefit 23,109 pupils and about 16,000 families in the city.

Gill Wake, who heads the Every Schoolday Counts team, said: "Research has shown pupils in the primary sector are more likely to miss school due to parental condoned absence, especially if they take their children on foreign holidays in term-time.

"In recent consultation with 24 primary schools, head teachers agreed unanimously that holidays in term-time was an issue which had an impact on their attendance figures."

The discount promotion will be backed up with 30,000 leaflets to be distributed to schools when they return after the Easter break.

The managing director of Hays Travel, Sunderland, John Hays, said: "I'm pleased to be associated with this initiative.

"It's an extremely worthwhile campaign and if it can help increase school attendance while helping families to take an annual break during holiday time, as opposed to term time, it will have achieved its purpose."