MUM’S STORY TWO
THE mother of three children who have never missed a day of school said they will never leave class to go on holiday.
Hazel Battersby-Sword called parents who take their children out of school to enjoy cheaper holidays “irresponsible”.
She feels it is unfair on staff who have to teach the curriculum in such a short space of time.
Her eldest daughter Georgia-Skye Finlay, 17, has just finished school and is preparing to study at Glasgow Caledonian University.
She had gone through Murray Primary in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Townhill Primary in Hamilton and Hamilton Grammar School with a 100% attendance record.
And her younger siblings Mackenzie Finlay, 13, and Warner Battersby-Sword, 11, are emulating their big sister’s impressive attendance record.
The trio have had the good fortune of only falling ill outside of school hours and have had any doctors’ appointments scheduled around their studies.
Hazel, who runs a card-making company in Hamilton, said: “When we first put the kids into school you could get fined for taking them out on holidays.
“There’s hardly a month that goes by where they don’t have at least a long weekend off with holidays and in-service days.
“For folk to take kids out of school for a holiday is really irresponsible.
“You’re responsible for their future and should not be deliberately making school harder for them.
“If they’re happy and healthy, they should be in school.
“Georgia-Skye even had orthodontic surgery one day after school. I told her I would understand if she took the next day off but she went in with her mouth stitched up.
“Mackenzie was born with a hole in her heart, which we have to keep an eye on and schedule any appointments around school hours.”
Taking kids out of school for a holiday is irresponsible