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Kids skip school for holidays

The Education Department has revealed the extent of student absenteeism caused by parents taking children out of school to go on holidays when flights and accommodation are cheaper, with figures showing that 10 per cent of absences last year were for vacations.

Last year was the first time the department required schools to record family holidays as a reason for student absence after anecdotal reports from principals that the trend was increasing.

Education director-general Sharyn O'Neill said she was concerned that 37,250 public school students - or 14.1 per cent - took one or more days off school last year to go on holiday.

Ms O'Neill warned parents they were putting their children's learning at risk as well as breaking the law, but conceded schools could not stop them.

"I strongly believe family time is very valuable and special but taking children out of school for family holidays can mean they fall behind in their education," she said. "It is important to remember that going to school is the law, and it's the law for good reason because if children don't attend school for at least 90 per cent of the time, they won't get the most from their learning."

Ms O'Neill said that there was nothing in WA's School Education Act that allowed principals to endorse student absence for family holidays.

"Likewise, schools are not obliged to provide homework materials for students on holidays," she said.

"Ultimately this decision is for parents. We don't have the resources to police whether parents make good choices but we can inform them about the legal requirements and the risk to their child's learning."

Catholic Secondary Principals' Association of WA president and Sacred Heart College principal Peter Bothe said parents taking children on holiday during school terms was also a growing trend in private schools.

He said private schools were noticing it even more than public schools because the former's families were more likely to travel overseas.

The increase in fly-in, fly-out workers had also led to more people wanting to take holidays to fit in with their rosters.

"While it may be understandable that parents want to take advantage of quiet tourist destinations, low-season fares and cheap accommodation, there is a cost and it is in the academic progress of the students," Mr Bothe wrote in a recent school newsletter.

"Schools teach for only 195 days of the year. There are many days available for family holidays."