“There is a longstanding issue with children being taken out of school for family holidays, and this data shows the problem is only getting worse. Everyone understands what is happening here, and that parents are only doing this because of the vast increase in the cost of travel and accommodation during school holiday periods.

“It’s clear that fines are not acting as much of a deterrent when set against this. The issuing of fines also risks damaging relationships between schools and parents, with school leaders having no choice but to enforce clear rules around attendance and the importance of children being in school. There is good evidence that missing time in the classroom has a direct impact on a child’s attainment and future prospects, even though teachers will of course spend time helping them catch up on work they have missed.

“We cannot continue like this, with parents choosing between an affordable holiday and good school attendance for their child. We really need the government to consider any ways they can limit how travel firms raise their prices during school holidays. This is the driving factor behind these statistics.”