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28
Oct
MP calls for looser rules to allow school pupils to visit the Great Yorkshire Show
Tom Gordon, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has called on the government to relax the rules on term-time school absences to allow children to attend the Great Yorkshire Show.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Gordon emphasised the need for a more pragmatic approach, and highlighted the educational importance of trips to the event, which is England's largest agricultural show.
He said that many local families had expressed their disappointment that children may no longer take time off school to experience the show, which offered "a unique, hands-on opportunity to learn about farming, food production, and the careers that sustain our food system".
Mr Gordon said:
The Great Yorkshire Show is more than just a day out – it’s an incredible educational experience.
It gives young people the chance to understand where their food comes from, see farming in action, and explore a wide range of careers in agriculture and food production.
It’s disappointing that children are missing out on such opportunities simply because of rigid school holiday rules.
Tom Gordon MP speaking in Parliament.
At state schools in England, authorised school absences used to be largely at the discretion of headteachers, who were allowed to grant up to two weeks' term-time holiday to pupils with good attendance records.
This explains why many adults across the district remember being allowed to visit the Great Yorkshire Show every year.
But regulations introduced in 2013, and reinforced by a Supreme Court ruling in 2017, put a stop to that freedom.
Now, parents may only allow their child to miss school if either they’re too ill to go in, or there are "exceptional circumstances", such as family bereavement, religious observance, or unavoidable medical appointments. This remains at the discretion of the headteacher.
A trip to the Great Yorkshire Show is not normally regarded as an exceptional circumstance.
King Charles visiting the Great Yorkshire Show in 2021.
Mr Gordon called on the Government and local schools to consider a pragmatic approach that allows pupils to attend the show while maintaining their education.
Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, has also expressed support for reviewing the rules.
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society first held the Great Yorkshire Show in 1838. It attracts more than 140,000 visitors over four days each July, and features main ring events, trade stands, and educational talks, with livestock competitions, showjumping, rural crafts and food demonstrations.
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