School absences don't help child's education, says department

Children who aren't taken out of school during term time are likely to do better than those who are. 

That's the message from the Department of Education and Children - it follows a legal ruling against a father in the UK who took his child to Florida during the school term. 

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled against Jon Platt - saying when parents take holiday without authorisation it can cause "unacceptable disruption". 

Joel Smith is a school improvement advisor on the Island: 

He says evidence shows that those children who stay in school will likely fare better: