I was a Senior Teacher [Head of Upper School in a Cambridge Comprehensive] until I took early retirement on health grounds in 1985. In my time it was a STATUTORY ENTITLEMENT for parents to take children out of school for a fortnight a year, with proper notice being given, to coincide with the parents' holiday ~ which was, naturally and reasonably, often taken to avoid the higher charges levied by airlines & holiday co's in the official school holidays.

This system always worked perfectly well. The school would have no discretion in granting this leave; the register would be marked with an H & the local authority &c took this into account when checking attendance records. Most children worked hard to catch up on work missed &c, & so far as I recall no unreasonable advantage was taken & no objections were raised on any side.

When did this rule change? And why? And would it not be worth reviving?