More pupils in England were off school without permission in the last week of the summer term than at any point in the academic year, official figures show.
The latest school attendance data shows 5% of pupils in England were off without permission in the week ending 19 July – around 450,000 pupils.
It comes as the government tightens rules to try to stop parents taking their children out of school to go on holiday.
Fines issued to each parent have gone up from £60 to £80 per child which will be doubled if it happens again within three years. Those with a third fine in a three-year period now face prosecution.