A new report has revealed that the number of parents taking their children out of school for unauthorised holidays decreased by 5.7% in the last academic year, dropping from 3.7 million to 3.5 million in the year to date.
The research, as part of the ‘School Performance Crisis Report’ created by education software solution Access Education, analysed Department for Education pupil attendance data from 3,000 state-funded secondary schools across regions in England, for the academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 year-to-date (YTD).
The data revealed that Yorkshire saw the largest regional decrease in unauthorised absences due to holiday at 10.3%, falling from 562,427 in the academic year 2023/2024, to 504,320 in 2024/2025 (YTD).
Meanwhile, London is the only region to see an increase in unauthorised holiday absences at 2.8% already, with 345,413 in 2023/2024 versus 354,928 noted in 2024/2025 (YTD), a figure that is likely to climb further once the full academic year data is released.
The North West recorded the highest total number of unauthorised holiday absences both in 2023/2024 at 666,230 and in 2024/2025 at 620,500. Although this represents a decrease year-on-year so far, the region continues to report the largest overall number of term-time holiday absences, partly reflecting its larger pupil population.
Despite the threat of financial penalties, which increased in August 2024, many parents appear willing to accept these consequences, with two in five saying they have taken a child out of school in term-time, and they would again. This prompts a wider discussion around the effectiveness of current attendance policies and the impact these absences have on schools.
Although missing a few days at the end of term may not seem too impactful, attendance and attainment are closely linked, with research showing that secondary school pupils in Year 11 with near-perfect attendance are nearly twice as likely to achieve a grade 5 in English and Maths GCSE.
| Unauthorised Absences Due To Holiday, Ranked by % Change (Year-on-Year) | ||||
| Regions in England | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | % Change | Holiday absences per pupil 2023/2024 |
| National | 3,712,809 | 3,500,428 | -5.7% | 1.3 |
| Yorkshire | 562,427 | 504,320 | -10.3% | 1.87 |
| North East | 269,003 | 242,544 | -9.8% | 2 |
| South West | 301,806 | 277,285 | -8.1% | 1.07 |
| West Midlands | 442,503 | 409,884 | -7.4% | 1.28 |
| North West | 666,230 | 620,500 | -6.9% | 1.63 |
| East Midlands | 324,909 | 313,685 | -3.5% | 1.28 |
| South East | 455,949 | 441,129 | -3.3% | 0.97 |
| East of England | 344,569 | 336,153 | -2.4% | 1.06 |
| London | 345,413 | 354,928 | 2.8% | 0.87 |
In the last academic year, holiday absences peaked in the Summer term with 1.9 million missed sessions, followed by 1.13 million in Autumn, suggesting a trend of parents taking children out of school to avoid peak travel season costs.
Number of recorded absences due to unauthorised holiday, by term (Academic Year 2023-2024)
| Regions in England | Autumn Term (Sept – Dec) | Spring Term (Jan – April) | Summer Term (May – Jul) |
| National | 1,127,689 | 658,152 | 1,926,968 |
| East of England | 103,422 | 53,729 | 187,418 |
| Yorkshire | 177,096 | 84,734 | 300,597 |
| North East | 79,533 | 31,364 | 158,106 |
| West Midlands | 129,167 | 80,349 | 232,987 |
| South West | 88,345 | 58,800 | 154,661 |
| North West | 203,648 | 109,211 | 353,371 |
| East Midlands | 105,390 | 55,559 | 163,960 |
| South East | 135,244 | 90,761 | 229,944 |
| London | 105,844 | 93,645 | 145,924 |
Emma Slater, Head of Product at The Access Group, commented:
“Our ‘School Performance Crisis Report’ has demonstrated that, although the increase in school fines has had an impact on the number of unauthorised absences, there is still a long way to go. While the final weeks of term often slow down with learning, they are critical for rounding off the curriculum, setting the pupils up for the next school year and resolving any issues that students have.
“However, parents and teachers need to work together in order to tackle this absenteeism crisis. It is essential that the significance of student attendance is communicated to parents so that they, too, can become advocates for students staying in school until the term ends.
“While parents have access to engagement software, it is equally the responsibility of teachers to maintain pupil engagement throughout the academic year. Using this software can help all parties monitor student progress, identify areas where support is needed, and stay informed about key topics being taught, which is vital when advancing through the school years.
“Although pupil absenteeism cannot be eliminated instantly, current trends indicate a gradual decline and there is significant potential to substantially reduce unauthorised holiday-related absences in the coming academic years.”
