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Could ‘Inset Week’ make family holidays cheaper? Parents are divided

Could ‘Inset Week’ make family holidays cheaper? Parents are divided

A new campaign says grouping Inset days could cut holiday costs and help reduce unauthorised absences, but do parents and teachers agree?

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Published: February 25, 2026 at 12:58 PM

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Families could save up to £1,400 on a holiday simply by reshuffling the school calendar, according to a new campaign calling for schools to introduce an annual ‘Inset Week’.

Holiday company On the Beach is urging headteachers across England and Wales to group their five mandatory Inset (In-Service Education and Training) days together into one dedicated week, giving families access to lower, off peak travel prices without taking children out of school.

But while the idea sounds appealing to many parents facing soaring peak season costs, our MadeForMums Club poll shows mums are far from united on whether it would actually work.

What is ‘Inset Week’ and why is it being proposed?

Schools are required to schedule five Inset days each academic year for teacher training. These are typically scattered across terms, often as single days that can leave parents scrambling for childcare.

Mature female student writing notes in her notebook at an adult education class. Mid adult woman attending a course at an adult education center.

The campaign is calling for those five days to be grouped together into one block, ideally staggered by region, creating a full week when children are not in school. The company says this would allow families to book holidays during cheaper periods, without risking fines for term time absences.

The campaign follows new research commissioned by On the Beach, which found that 37% of parents took their children out of school for a holiday during the 2024 to 2025 academic year despite a recent rise in fines for doing so. Even more strikingly, 50% say they are planning to do so during 2025 to 2026.

Nearly half a million families were fined last year for term time absences, according to Department for Education data.

Just 1% of schools currently operate an Inset Week model. One of them is Python Hill Academy in Nottinghamshire.

Mr Andy Stirland, Principal at Python Hill Academy, said: “We have been running an Inset Week, which is tagged onto the spring bank holiday in May, for the last seven years. Parents should not be faced with fines or enforcement for wanting to spend family time together.

“Inset Week has allowed families at our school the option of cheaper holidays while maintaining our attendance figures. Our school attendance figures have been above the national average every year and I believe without Inset Week this would be a very different story.”

Inset Week has allowed families at our school the option of cheaper holidays while maintaining our attendance figures.

Mr Andy Stirland, Principal at Python Hill Academy

Zoe Harris, Chief Customer Officer at On the Beach, added: “Families shouldn’t have to choose between following the rules and being able to afford time away together. The real frustration we hear is that parents can see cheaper off-peak holidays, but there’s no straightforward way to access them without their children missing school, and that’s exactly where Inset Weeks can help.”

Would parents actually support it?

We asked our MadeForMums Club members whether they would back their school grouping its five INSET days into one “Inset Week” to help save money on peak holidays.

The results show cautious support, but plenty of reservations.

Overall, 60% supported an Inset week, while 40% said they didn't for various reasons:

52% said yes, they think Inset Week is a great idea
8% said yes, but they would need more information
21% said no, they would prefer Inset days spread throughout the year
7% said holiday companies would simply raise prices
5% said as a parent working in education, it would not help
5% said the real issue is lack of regulation on price hikes
2% said they would still take their children on holiday when they choose

In short, just over six in ten parents are open to the idea in principle, but many are sceptical about how it would play out in reality.

“Holiday companies would just hike the prices”

Young woman looking for airline tickets on laptop

A recurring concern among mums was whether travel firms would simply increase prices once Inset dates became predictable.

Kayleigh Archer told us: “I'm absolutely in favour, but only if the week differs from school to school or changes every year. Otherwise the holidays companies would just hike the price on that week too if it were the same every year. My children have never been on a holiday thanks to the greed of holiday companies hiking their prices.”

Rachael Austerberry agreed: “With holiday pricing being ‘driven by demand’ it would probably just mean that the additional week becomes more expensive too!”

Natalie Davis echoed this worry: “The problem is the holiday places will cotton on and start rising the price of that week!”

Others pointed out the practical challenges for families with children at different schools. Rebecca De Haan said: “I think the problem would be when siblings are in different schools (primary and secondary), schools in local areas would all need to agree on the same week for it to work for a lot of families.”

What about teachers and childcare?

Parents who work in education were particularly divided.

Katherine Penton said: “As a teacher I would not want this - they are set out that way to allow plans for the next term. As a parent it also means you can spread you holidays out.”

Amy McSheffrey added: “I work in a school and suggested this as a parent. It’s not possible though as training needs to happen throughout the year… we constantly have new policies and schemes being introduced that everyone needs to be trained on- saving that all up for 1 week just wouldn’t work.”

My boys' school already does it and it works brilliantly.

Sarah Mitch

Childcare was another sticking point. Katie Morrison told us: “Unsure - if not using that week for holiday, childcare would be difficult with no holiday clubs. Asking grandparents for 1 inset day cover is very different to a Mon-Fri.”

Still, some parents shared positive experiences where schools had trialled the model.

Sarah Mitch said: “My boys' school already does it and it works brilliantly. We always get a cheap caravan for the week.”

And Carly Rowe added: “Yes! My kids school used to do this in October, we had 2 weeks off instead of one and it was so handy but now they've spread the days out and it's rubbish.”

So, is 'Inset Week' the answer?

family of four walking along a beach with inflatables

On the Beach has written to 25,000 schools and launched ready made letters for parents to send to headteachers. According to its research, 73% of parents say they would contact their school to request an Inset Week.

For many mums, the appeal is obvious, cheaper breaks without fines or guilt. But as our poll shows, real life logistics, staffing pressures and fears over price surges mean it is not a simple fix.

Whether Inset Week becomes a wider trend may now depend less on holiday companies and more on how headteachers, and parents themselves, weigh up the pros and cons for their own school communities.