SCHOOLS are considering closing during religious festivals in a bid to cut pupil absences.
Pupils being taken out of school to attend non-Christian festivals account for a “sizeable chunk” of absences in Greater Manchester, according to council statistics.
Manchester City Council is considering inviting primary and secondary schools to close if more than 40% of pupils are likely to be absent on religious festival days.
The council is also inviting schools to consider scheduling teacher training days on religious festivals to minimise children missing school and falling behind.
Religious observance accounted for 28,000 missed school days between September and December last year.
