A mum who has saved almost £10,000 by taking her kids on holiday during term time says she "stands by" her decision - and will do it again this year.<br /><br />Rachel Smith, 33, takes her two children Brayden, 11, and Elianna, nine, out of school every year during term time to go on holiday abroad.<br /><br />The single mum who works in finance saved £3,000 last year by taking her children to Majorca and Magaluf in May and June rather than peak-season August.<br /><br />Whilst she regularly receives £60-per-child fines, she says the decision is a "no brainer" as "it's nothing compared to the cost of holidays in the school holidays".<br /><br />They have been on four holidays so far during term time, and are jet-set for Mallorca next week on another adventure.<br /><br />Rachel, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, said: "Although I have a good job, as a single working parent I just don't have the money to take my kids on holiday during the school holidays.<br /><br />"The cost is outrageous. Why should people, and most importantly children, be penalised because they can't afford to pay £5,000 for a holiday in August?<br /><br />"I've worked really hard and so do my children, why shouldn't we get to go on a family holiday?<br /><br />"Why should some children miss out on those experience and only the kids with parents that afford it get to go?<br /><br />"The cost is double, even triple, out of term time compared to in term time. <br /><br />"So long as you look carefully at the school calendar and make sure it's not impacting your child's education, I think it's fine."<br /><br />The first holiday the family took during term time was to Ibiza in May 2018 when Brayden was five and Eliana was four.<br /><br />The following year, they visited Magaluf, Majorca, Spain, during term time.<br /><br />Unfortunately, they were unable to holiday abroad for the next two years due to Covid. <br /><br />However, they made up for their lost time by holidaying in Magaluf again in May last year, followed by a trip to Can Picafort, Majorca, Spain, in June.<br /><br />Rachel received a fine for each of her children last year for their Can Picafort trip, amounting to £120, but says she saved £3,000 on the holiday.<br /><br />She also received fines for both children for their 2019 holiday, and a fine for Brayden's absence during their Ibiza trip.<br /><br />The family are planning another trip to Majorca next week, the day after Brayden finishes his SATs.<br /><br />Rachel said: "I don't think them missing school to go on holiday once a year has been detrimental to their education at all.<br /><br />"I always check the calendar carefully to make sure it doesn't impact their learning too much.<br /><br />"At the end of term they're not doing much, and after SATs Brayden won't be doing anything at school anyway.<br /><br />"They're both doing really well at school. Brayden got 40 out of 40 on his last SATs maths mock test. If it was impacting their education I obviously wouldn't do it.<br /><br />"They learn a lot from going on holiday too. They've been able to experience other culture, they have a massive social awareness and they're learning another language.
