FIGURES showing that less than half of parents in Wales are able to request absence from school for their children during term-time have been greeted with anger by a Ceredigion campaigner.

Campaign group Let Children in Wales Have a Family Holiday During Term Time asked parents across Wales whether the situation has changed since a letter from the former minister of education, Huw Lewis was issued.

The letter – requesting that headteachers should be the only ones able to decide on term time absence and that they must consider each request on a case-by-case basis – was sent to councils and consortia at the end of last year,

This was backed up by a letter to head­teachers across Wales to re-assess the situation.

Since that correspondence, only 34 per cent of parents have received a communication from their school stating the position.

Nearly 26 per cent of parents stated their school definitely still has a blanket ban in place and a further 35 per cent is unsure of the situation.

“We are deeply disappointed that schools and councils across Wales are still enforcing blanket bans despite the minister’s insistence that this is not acceptable,” said Cwrtnewydd-based campaigner Bethany Walpole-Wroe.

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online on Wednesday