Shopping parents add to truancy

Some pupils were with their parents on shopping trips.

Welfare officers say parents are regularly taking children out of lessons for no other reason that as a treat

But some parents argued that this was the only time they had to take their children shopping.

This Have Your Say is now closed. Below is a cross-section of your views:

Is "School or Jail" a healthy set of options for a young person? The heart of the issue is not that young people are taking liberties outside the curriculum, it is that their options are far too limited. Any marketing director or psychologist will tell you that an adolescent mind is extremely potent and in need of variety. If society wants to address the issue of truancy it should be through offering wider options rather than criminalisation.
Rob Denton, Montreal, Canada

I don't see a problem with parents allowing children to have days off to go on holiday, but to take them shopping and let them stay at home for no particular reason is wrong. I also think that children who stay out of school without their parents knowledge should be severely punished.
Laura, Gwynedd

I wonder what the reaction of these parents would be if teachers absented themselves from their classes during termtime using the same "excuses" on behalf of their own children? Perhaps not unsurprisingly too many of these parents also expect teachers to set and mark extra work to cover lessons missed!!
John, Cambridgeshire

I'd like to point out that the law doesn't actually say children have to go to school - it says children must get an education. This usually means at school, but an education can be done at home, or other location. I do object to parents taking their children out of education on a whim, but I would support parents turning holidays in term-time or occasional days off intop an educational experience - but always with the backing of the school.
Ian, Ashford, Middx

Fairplay to parents who take their children out of school for a day, even if it is going into town. Weekdays is about the only time I would venture into town. As for holidays wind your neck in Steve, Saffron Walden, England. Holidays are not a luxury they are a NECESSITY otherwise schools would be open 365 and all children would have 21-26 days annual leave. As children do need a break, and I do not think staying at home playing with their friends is going to provide the correct stimulation that encourages thinking growth.
Andy, Northampton

Pupils who are constantly truanting need to be dealt with but the occasional day off is not going to harm anyone. As for taking holidays out, that really should be up to the individual pupil. Some can cope with time out and will catch up, others cant. We always had family holidays camping in France in the summer holidays. We would go for three weeks have a great time and it cost very little compared to these overpriced holidays parents keep moaning about. You cant claim its so you can spend quality time cheaply with your children when there are cheap holiday options in the UK. People seem to think a holiday has to be Disneyland Florida!!
Lianne, Cannock, UK

Is it not better to see a child away from school with a parent than children on the street during school time by themselves selling drugs, hurling abuse at vulnerable people, destroying property and just loitering around. This is where the police need to put their efforts. More concern should be given to the 'YOBS' as 9 times out of 10 when a child is out with a parent it is usually a one off but 'YOBS' hanging around seems to be a daily routine.
Aleta, Leeds

I wonder whether its the same parents who take their children out of school on luxury shopping trips are the same ones who constantly complain to the school and blame the teachers when their children don't do as well as they expected at school. Perhaps they should look closer to home and they will find the reasons why! You can't expect to improve the results in education if the children are not there for the teacher to teach. The law says that children must attend school and any parent who takes them away from school for any other reason than for genuine illness needs to be made accountable to the courts. No parent is above the law.
Jon Lewis, Cardiff, Wales

If wondering around cities and towns looking for children off school is the best way that police officers time is spent, then the government wants to come out into the real world, what's the most important, finding criminals that have been stealing cars and breaking into houses overnight or trying to find children that are not in school?
Darren Parnell, Tredegar, Wales

A lot of parents take their children out of school during term time because this is the only time they can afford holidays abroad, during school holiday times the prices of holidays increase, why do travel agents do this?
Darren Parnell, Tredegar, Wales

As a school governor I frequently see how these totally unnecessary absences from school disrupt children's' education. The only time a child should be off school is if they are ill or have a pre-arranged appointment for the dentist or such like. As for going on holiday in term-time. While I sympathise with parents over the cost of holidays these days - a holiday is NOT a NECESSITY, but a luxury. If you can't afford it you do not have to have it. A child's education is far more important. Without a sound start in life they will have very little hope of a good job and future development later in life.
Steve, Saffron Walden, England

Real and persistent truancy is obviously a problem. But parents still have ultimate responsibility for their children. School is important, but so is family life and wellbeing. Particularly in this day and age when so many parents work, personal time with your children is important. They may be off of school for a variety of reasons, you don't have to be physically ill to need a break. If I thought my child need some time off, that is MY decision & nobody else's business. I know my child & what their need are, they are not statistics. We are having more & more parental control taken away from us. If 'truancy' is persistent, then there is obviously a bigger problem that needs to be looked at.
Nicki, Southampton

300 children out of school says it all really, and people wonder why children and teenagers are the anti-social uneducated louts that plague our towns and cities. There are people in the world who would give their right arm for an education... Children have enough holidays through out the year as it is, not to mention weekends. Parents who actively keep their children out of school should be fined. The education system is there for a reason, it's not there to create the next generation of criminals and thugs.
n/a, n/a

I do not, the only time a child should be off school is if they are ill or on school holidays. At other time anyone transgressing should be dealt with as severely as possible.
John Devlin, Sandhurst England.

Taking children out of school for unnecessary tasks doesn't give the children the correct work ethic message. This will no doubt encourage those children to throw sickies from work when they are older.
Ade, Cardiff , Wales

When I was in school the only I had had off was during the half terms and summer holidays. If I was ill I had to be on my death bed before I was allowed to stay home. Parents have the weekends to take their children shopping. A lot of parents these days have a lackadaisical approach parenting which had been proven many a time as some many kids are in trouble with the police. Parents should only be taking their children out of school of such things as doctor, dentist, hospital appointments or if the child is ill. There is not excuse for shopping as we have late night openings and the weekend for shopping.
Christine, Cardiff

In my particular case, I am a contractor, I can only take holidays in-between my contracts, over which I have no control. If I were to choose to take a holiday during a school holiday, I would lose all earnings for that period (I don't have the luxury of paid holidays!). So, if I get a break during school time, so be it, that's when I take my holiday!
Peter Walukiewicz, Cardiff, UK

With at least six weeks holiday over the summer, two or three weeks over Christmas, another two weeks over Easter and a week-long holiday in the middle of each term, I think young people at school have a lot of time off to go shopping and spend time with their families. Not to mention Saturday and Sunday and all the other bank holidays and teacher training days etc. It works out that they only actually have to go to school for about 190 days out of 365. If parents can't find the time to do activities with their children during the remaining 175 days (and the evenings of the school days) then maybe they should reconsider where their priorities lie.
Sarah, Manchester

If a child can't miss a few days of school without seriously jeopardising their education, then there's something wrong with the school.

As children we're indoctrinated with the belief that achieving good SATs scores is the most important thing in the world.

The same thing then happens with GCSEs, then A-levels. It's only when you finish university and go out to work in the "real world" that you realise how pointless and trivial these qualifications actually are.
Sam, Cardiff

Education is obviously a partnership between schools and parents, but in some cases parents clearly don't respect or back up the teachers' efforts. Equally some teachers don't respect parents and talk to them as if they were all 11 years old. My own child is part of a truly awesome partnership between her, the school and the parents.

I would and have had no hesitation in taking my child out of school for legitimate activities that will benefit her in the longer- term and that are culturally-enriching - i.e. international travel, unique arts events, countryside activities - not shopping or bumming around.

Biggest factor in all this is the rip-off practised by the travel industry - if they were prevented from hiking prices during school holidays then the problem of term-time absence would largely disappear.
David, Cardiff

Children should not lose one day of education. They should be seen and not heard. We've got to impose some discipline in life. We need to bring back the cane for naughty children
Jonathan Evans, Newport

Education is one of the most important things available to young people. It should not be treated so lightly. It is one thing to complain about it now but another to live without it later. I only wish I had studied harder and spent more time in school than I did. Although with all the recent 'to-do' about the cost of holidays during summer breaks is it any wonder why some people choose to take their children out of school for a week to ensure a summer holiday with out paying over the odds?
Andrew , Llantrisant

What do these parents do on a weekend? And are they taking days off work to go shopping as well?
Phil, Cardiff

I believe that the facts you learn in school are not what is important. What is important is learning how to learn. There are many useful things learned outside school during foreign holidays. If parents were reduced to only taking "their" children away during school holidays many children would never experience different cultures. That would be a real loss.
Adam, Cardiff