The Adrian Loveridge Column – Children Approved to Travel During School Period
Jon Platt, the businessman who took his daughter on holiday during term time CREDIT: TOM HARRISON/ SOLENT NEWS & PHOTO AGENCY/TOM HARRISON/ SOLENT NEWS & PHOTO AGENCY
HARRISON/ SOLENT NEWS & PHOTO AGENCY/TOM HARRISON/ SOLENT NEWS & PHOTO AGENCY
For as long as I can remember it has been one of the most contentious laws in the United Kingdom for many years. Until a landmark court ruling last week, local education authorities had the right to charge and judges or magistrates enforce fines on parents who took their children on holidays outside of recognised school holidays.
The reasons why parents do this are obvious. Often prices for an almost identical holiday can cost double what they are when taken during school term times. Like most commodities, the travel industry is market driven with the same sort of supply and demand concept that applies to most products, but there is perhaps a stronger fundamental moral dilemma facing mothers and fathers wishing to give their children the best possible holiday experience at an affordable price.
In this particular case, judges ruled that a council could not legally enforce the fine imposed on 44 year old father, Jon Platt, for taking his daughter on holiday during term time. As a result, the British Government announced that it is considering making alterations to the law.
Flight search website, Cheapflights, said ‘families could save up to 45 percent travelling during term-time’ citing the example of a return flight from the UK to Lanzarote in September for GBPounds 204 compared to GBPounds 374 in August.
Their managing director, Andrew Shelton, stated ‘hopefully this ruling will lead to some relaxation of the rules to flatten out those peak demand periods, giving everyone the chance to enjoy the benefits of a family getaway’. Adding ‘for those who don’t want to take their kids out of school for holidays they could save money by booking flights at the right time’. ‘Tuesdays are the cheapest days to book and generally the best fares are advertised about 50 days ahead of departure with the most expensive being three days before travel’. Logically Friday is consistently the most expensive day to fly because of the increased demand for those trying to get away for the weekend.
Barbados and the Caribbean generally are not immune from what many consider opportunistic price gouging. Officially, school holidays will take place between 19th July and 31st August this year in the United Kingdom with some regional differences.
Putting this into practice and looking online for the lowest price economy flights from Gatwick to Barbados and if you fly London/Barbados on 6th July and return on 20th July the ticket is GBPounds 566 with Virgin Atlantic (VS) and GBPounds 783 with British Airways (BA). Move those dates to flying out on 20th July and back on 4th August and the identical fare jumps to GBPounds 1,327 with Virgin and GBPounds 1,634 with BA. Again comparing like-for-like flights Gatwick/Barbados on 16th August returning 30th August are GBPounds 1,107 with Virgin and GBPounds 1,293 with BA.
Of course it does not just end with the airline portion, often tour operators and individual accommodation providers adjust their prices accordingly to the extent a family of four could well be spending thousands more for an indistinguishable holiday, but travelling on different dates.
Probably the recent court ruling will not significantly affect bookings and occupancy periods this year, but for sure, there will be some contract negotiating and adjustments for summer 2017 taking place soon.
Barbados Underground 
Adrian, it is a huge mistake to describe travel or tourism services as “commodities”. The term refers to services that are uniform and therefore purchased purely on the basis of price. Tourism is certainly price-sensitive, but the tourist buys an experience that he constructs for himself, using inputs provided by others. Even if I travel on the same plane as you and stay in a hotel room that looks the same, my experience will never be the same as yours, so the trip can never be a commodity. Get it?
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I am retired former Principal of one of the largest Academy in London (UK), the Harris Academy Peckham..! Mr Loveridge paints an interesting picture on “Term Time” vacations. I can gleefully inform you that we, mainly Heads of “Inner City” schools, with tremendous support from parents/careers, fought extremely hard for the Judges ruling..! One of the key factors in the ruling is that schools must formulate “Catch up Sessions” for those students upon their return to school..!
It is said that ” when the UK sneezes Barbados catches a cold…!” I would be interesting to see how this ruling would work in Barbados schools…
I’ve been observing the Education System here in Barbados with interest..! On one point of intrigue, teachers have not had a pay increase since 2009…! …and the impact of that is, the majority of teachers are living from pay cheque to pay cheque..!
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“I’ve been observing the Education System here in Barbados with interest..! On one point of intrigue, teachers have not had a pay increase since 2009…! …and the impact of that is, the majority of teachers are living from pay cheque to pay cheque..!’
Not always the case Shaft ! Many teachers make extra money and more than they are paid MOE by giving lessons at home or after school.
I feel that if a parent wants to take their children out of school for a vacation during the school term they should be responsible for making sure that their children’s education will not suffer. They should pay for any remedial classes.
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I occasionally took my children out of school during term time. It has not done them any harm. Once we went to see the active volcano in Montserrat, and the little one got a “A” for a subsequent geography assignment on volcanoes. Seeing an active volcano and speaking with the volcanologist is an experience that cannot be matched by anything in the classroom.
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Look let’s talk . sue Springer talks truth about Sandals contribution to tourism
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Interesting Daily Mail article stating that ‘just 15 per cent of Brits go on an all-inclusive holiday in 2016’.
Link sent to David.
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Adrian Loveridge May 25, 2016 at 10:12 AM #
Interesting Daily Mail article stating that ‘just 15 per cent of Brits go on an all-inclusive holiday in 2016’.
Link sent to David.
The Daily Wail,really Adrian? Must be true/accurate then!
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I was looking at the re-Discover ad on the bottom. I explored the links and like the menus.
Quite a few folks here are off the island and it would help if we saw more links like ‘re-discover’ Barbados.
Coming after school is out and already saving for a few good meals 🙂
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Oh i see nobody wants to talk truth .i see everybody want tobignore truth with their own little piece of sh…t whatever and call it newsworthy
Any how one can also remember sue springer rub against sandals coming to barbados but hopefully she has seen the light by the significant work and effort sandals has put into the economyand sue has no other choice but to eat crow and sing praises of “Great Thou Art.”but as PM stuart teaches all Truth unlike milk does not sour which is a friendly reminder to friend and foe who travells the halls of BU
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Shoo fly!
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half believe they will be holidaying in space in 100 years, the other 50% think they are going to hell.
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