Let's be reasonable: not every single week of school demands attendance

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Every year when we come to choosing our summer holiday we can’t help but look at how much we’d save if we went during school term-time. The Department for Education said: “Our evidence shows missing the equivalent of just one week a year from school can mean a child is significantly less likely to achieve good GCSE grades.” Really? It’s hard to see how one missed week for a secondary pupil in Years 7, 8 and 9 can affect future exam results. Possibly that week may be more significant in the exam-teaching Years 10 and 11, but it makes no mention of the child’s ability to borrow someone else’s notes and get themselves back up to speed.