'NO BRAINER'
School becomes first in Britain to scrap holidays leaving parents to take kids out for 6 weeks whenever they want
A SCHOOL has become the first in Britain to scrap holidays and term times – leaving parents to take kids out for six weeks whenever they want.
Shrewsbury Prepatoria has opened its doors all year round meaning working parents don’t have to look after their kids every day during the school holidays.
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Instead, they can take their children out of school for up to six weeks whenever they want without facing prosecution or huge fines.
Sarah Golden, 42, pays £6,540 a year for her five-year-old son Chase to attend the revolutionary school in Shropshire.
The school was launched by headmistress Jane Smalley last year to make life easier for working parents who are not able to take leave from their jobs.
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She claims parents can save half of the fees by not having to pay ridiculous flight and childcare costs during the traditional school holidays.
Meanwhile, children are also able to enjoy a slower pace of school-life and no homework.
The long summer holidays aren’t good for anyone. Chase is so much happier [at school], with his friends.
Parent Sarah Golden
Mrs Golden, a marketing consultant, now doesn’t have to juggle her work deadlines or beg people to babysit when she’s working over the summer.
She told the : “The long summer holidays aren’t good for anyone. Chase is so much happier [at school], with his friends.”
Removing your child from school - the rules
Parents whose kids attend state schools are only allowed to let their children miss school if they are sick or have received advanced permission from the headteacher.
Previously heads could grant 10 days of authorised absence but they are now unable to grant any at all.
Fixed penalty notices were introduced in 2013 to discourage parents from taking their children on holiday during term time.
Parents who take their kids out of school will be slapped with a £60 fine which rises to £120 if it's not paid after 21 days.
In the worst case scenario you could be prosecuted and slapped with a £2,500 and jailed for 3 months.
It has been revealed that almost 20,000 people were taken to court in 2015 after their children missed school without permission – an increase of more than a fifth.
Private schools are exempt from the rules but usually actively discourage holidays in term time and unauthorised absences.
Ms Smalley, 59, who quit her her job as a reception teacher to set up the school, added: “It’s a no brainer. Why shouldn’t we have schools that meet the needs of families?”
The school currently has just 11 pupils aged between four and six in Reception and Year 1 and is expanding next year to accommodate Year 2 students.
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Ms Smalley was told by the Department for Education schools don’t need specific term times as long as pupils attend 190 days of classes every year.
She said the average time taken off by children is four weeks and the school was rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
She added: “Being open all year long, and seeing the impact on the children, I think — why isn’t this being offered to every family?”
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