INTO: Holidays during term have negative influence on classroom

A group representing primary school teachers has said it is disrupting to a classroom, if children go on holiday during term time.

A survey by AA travel insurance revealed that almost a third of parents had taken their children out of school for a holiday, mainly to avoid paying peak prices during traditional school breaks.

Peter Mullan, a senior official with the INTO, added it can cause disruption both to the kids who have gone on holiday and to those in the classroom.

The Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said he can understand why parents take their children out of school to go on holidays.

Quinn noted while children and parents need holidays, they have to look at the impact that will have on their education.

“There is evidence to show that if children miss school in a pattern of regularity and I’m not suggesting that take children away for four or five days is a pattern of regularity, but it does damage their prospects,” said the Education Minister.