In this week’s Manx Independent we talk to a high school head teacher who’s banning pupils from taking time off during term to go on holiday.

The last time this idea was raised, it didn’t go down well parents.

Also this week:

A delivery driver who was meant to take phones to Sure ended up stealing more than £8,000-worth of them.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is coming to the island. Want to have your photo taken with him? It’ll cost you.

Plans for KFC and Starbucks drive-throughs on Peel Road have been amended following concerns from planners and highways services.

As the director of public transport steps down, we look back over his time - modernising the bus service and improving the railways plus experimenting with ’bendy buses’ and buying a diesel loco that’s still not working.There were a lot of court cases relating to problems over the festive period. We report on those.

Why the local authority is against the proposed demolition of the Groudle pub.

The issue of whether to allow parents to see how well their children’s schools are performing is back in the news. We report why.

A paper in the UK has declared Manx a dead language. We speak to a number of people who beg to differ.

New safeguards for children.

A project to build a skate park in Castletown has been backed by pro skateboarder Tony Hawk.

A Crosby teenager admits driving while under the influence of cannabis and possessing the class C drug Alprazolam.

As consultations on plans for Peel’s regional sewage treatment closes we find out what happens next.

Castletown Commissioners have got in a real tizzy over a bus stop. They’ve even made a freedom of information request about. We reveal more.

We look forward to the Next Big Thing concert.

In Island Life, our entertainment and leisure section, we look forward to the annual Hodgson Loom Gallery open art competition.

We also tell you how you can go to hear a performance of the island’s entry into an international song contest.

Our sports section looks at Manx Harriers’ weekend success and looks forward to all the weekend action.

Plus there are your letters, the Isle of Man’s What’s On guide, a seven-day television guide, puzzles, readers’ photos and lots of community news.

Oh, and we nearly forgot . . . the Pothole of the Week is so good it’s on page one.

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