English school holidays issued with a penalty notice whenever they take their children on holiday during term time without getting authorisation from the school. Penalty notices can be issued by local councils, headteachers (including deputy and assistant heads authorised by them) and the police. Generally, schools will agree to no more than 10 school days of absence in any school year. The Swallows and Amazons series of children’s novels by Arthur Ransome are all set in the school holidays, generally the long (August) summer holidays although some are set in Easter or winter. For example, in "Pigeon Post", he wrote: "Term time was
Swallows and Amazons series the young protagonists, many — generally benevolent — adult characters also appear. The most prominently involved are the Blackett sisters' uncle Jim Turner, who is called Captain Flint by the children, after the character in "Treasure Island", and Mrs Barrable in "Coot Club". A painfully shy geologist, named Timothy, is also accepted by the children during "Pigeon Post" and included in their adventures. The "Swallows and Amazons" series has strong links with the real world. Extensive elements of both the characters and the settings can be traced back to incidents in Ransome's life and are the raw material for much