Holidays in school year ‘harm pupils’ education’

Parents who regularly take children out of school to avail of cheaper holidays risk damaging their education.

The warning comes as figures show the average primary pupil misses 11 days of the 183-day school year. The figure for second-level students is even higher, missing, on average, 13 of the 165 days of required attendance.

The National Education Welfare Board said that if a child missed school to go on a package holiday every year, they will have missed a full year’s education by the time they get to Leaving Certificate.