A school in the UK has become the first to to scrap the traditional long summer break.
But instead of moving the holidays to a set time elsewhere in the calendar, the head teacher is letting parents take pupils out whenever they want.
Launched just last year by the headmistress, it aims to make life easier for working parents who are not able to take leave from their jobs.
It wouldn't be possible at most schools, but Shrewsbury Prepatoria in Shropshire is independent and has just 11 pupils aged between four and six in Reception and Year 1 and is expanding next year to accommodate Year 2 students.
Headmistress Jane Smalley made the decision after she applied for Department for Education guidance on how to open an independent school, reports the Daily Mail.
They told her that schools didn’t need specific term times as long as children have the minimum requirement of 190 days a year that constitutes full-time education.
She started off allowing pupils to take up to 10 weeks’ holiday, but later cut it to six weeks to ensure more learning time, in addition to the four weeks the school is shut over Christmas and Easter.
Ms Smalley, 59, who quit her her job as a reception teacher to set up the school, added: “It’s a no brainer. Why shouldn’t we have schools that meet the needs of families?”
Mum Sarah Golden pays £6,540 a year for her five-year-old son Chase to attend the revolutionary school in Shropshire and no longer has to juggle her work deadlines or beg people to babysit when she’s working over the summer.
She said: “The long summer holidays aren’t good for anyone. Chase is so much happier [at school], with his friends.”
It was during the 2013 academic year when the rules on term-time holidays were changed, meaning headteachers could no longer grant up to 10 days holiday in special circumstances.
Instead they can only grant term-time leave in exceptional circumstances.
Despite this, the number of days missed due to holidays has been rising year on year - even following increases in the numbers of fines handed out as punishment.
These fixed 'fixed penalty notices' cost parents £60 if paid within 21 days, increasing to £120 after that deadline. If still unpaid after 28 days, the parents can be taken to court.
