Holiday price surge pushes parents to remove children from school

Parents in the Channel Islands say rising holiday costs during school breaks have led them to take children out of class to save money, with families reporting flights and hotels more than doubling in price compared with term time.

Mum-of-two Annie Noble told BBC Jersey that a family flight to Belfast cost about £260 during the holidays but only £112 in term time for the same trip, and that hotel rates were roughly twice as high outside term time, prompting her to remove her seven- and three-year-old daughters from school.

A record number of fines were issued in England last year for term-time holiday absences, and some parents accept those fines because the savings on travel outweigh the penalties. Jersey and Guernsey education departments do not fine but ask parents to avoid booking holidays in term time when possible.

Other parents speaking to BBC Jersey said their children gained substantial learning from extended trips and cited steep price differences, including a parent planning a December Lapland trip outside term time to avoid high holiday rates. Melissa Harris, a mother of four, said travel during holidays was often about 150% more expensive and that a trip to Egypt was roughly £2,000 cheaper outside the Easter break.

Statistics Jersey reported that more than a third of households forewent a week-long holiday abroad in 2025 due to cost, up from 21% in 2017. National Education Union representative Mark Brignall said teachers anecdotally noted an increase in students taken out of curriculum time for holidays, while Guernsey has launched a campaign to address falling attendance.

Guernsey’s education president, Deputy Paul Montague, urged parents to consider the impact of term-time holidays on children’s learning.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The report shows parents are responding to steep price inflation by removing children from school to access lower travel costs. Officials in Jersey and Guernsey recommend avoiding term-time holidays but do not issue fines, while England saw a record number of fines for such absences. Statistical data indicates a growing share of households skipping foreign holidays due to cost, and educators report increased term-time absence for travel.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Families report flights and hotels often cost significantly more during school holidays than in term time.
• Some parents accept fines for term-time absence because travel savings can outweigh penalties.
• Statistics Jersey found over a third of households skipped a week-long abroad holiday in 2025 due to cost.