A Tauranga college principal says labelling all unsanctioned absences from school as truancy is ‘pedantic'.

The issue was raised this week by Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Frances Nelson, who told TVNZ's Breakfast programme that any unsanctioned absence from school was illegal.

However, Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell and Mount Maunganui College principal Russell Gordon agree that parents taking children out of school is an ongoing issue that is best resolved on a case-by-case basis.

'Children are expected to attend school – that's the law,” says Dave. 'At Otumoetai College, parents who take their children out of school for more than five days are reminded that under the Education Act, a principal can only excuse a student for five days.

'However, I'm very pleased that parents have the courtesy to say that they're going on a trip or going away.

'I write to them and acknowledge it, but under Ministry of Education guidelines it is recorded as unjustified absence.

'That's how I do it, but what we also do is we advise the children to see the teachers, especially in senior school, in order to catch up on work.”

Dave also understands that airfares are cheaper during term time, and says sometimes events take place that lead to children being taken out of school during term time.

'You've got young people who represent us outside of school in competitions such as dance. Technically, that's not school-related, but I can understand extending opportunities for them.

'We handle it case-by-case. In our school you are expected to have 85 per cent attendance rate per year.”

While he doesn't expect his staff to do individual lessons, most are responsive in how they will help, and Dave admits he's delighted the school has a good level of communication with parents.

'It's a matter of courtesy and I really appreciate it,” he adds. Some will email directly, and others will write a note. But I have a standard response.

Across town at Mount Maunganui College, headmaster Russell Gordon admits that calling unjustified leave truancy is ‘technically' correct.

'Learning is lost while the child is away from school,” he explains. 'When they come back they are behind and under pressure and the teacher is under pressure to help them catch them up.

'So from that perspective I think calling it truancy is correct because it does impact on the learning.”

However, he also admits that, from a parents' point of view, the life skills and wider level of learning a student gains from taking an overseas holiday makes it worthwhile.

And he acknowledges it is clearly more economical for a family to travel during term time.

'I can clearly see both sides,” says Russell. 'Both sides have their merits. If a parent were to contact me to say they are taking a child out of school for three weeks during term time, I, as principal, cannot give permission. I'm unable to do that.

'I'll inform the parent of their responsibility to the school and it's a requirement to have a 90 per cent attendance rate across the year.

'Then I will wish them well on their study and I will make the offer that the child can take subject content with them so they don't get too far behind.

'We can't give tacit approval because it is in a sense working against the Education Act. We can't condone it.

'But as a parent, I have seen kids come back whose whole life experience from a trip has actually made them a better global citizen.

'I can see the learning inherent in that experience, so it would be churlish of me to say ‘no', that the school actually stands against the child having this experience.

'We remain somewhat ambivalent and I look at it through those two lenses - as a principal, but as a parent as well.”

Because of the case-by-case nature of the issue, he says a blanket ruling on the matter would be problematic.

The TVNZ story attracted more than 500 comments on their Facebook page – most of them critical of Frances Nelson's statement.