Told I'll get a fine for taking child on holiday in school time

[taytotayto111]

We took our two children aged 5 and 6 out of school for 6 days to attend a family wedding in Spain. That was in May. Today I received a letter from the council saying next time we will get a fine if we do it again and only got away with it this time due to their excellent attendance.
Where does the law stand. Will my husband and I both get charged £120 or is it £120 per child. We are taking them out again for 5 days next year. I thought things were on hold due to the recent court case.
I've left a message asking the man who sent the letter to contact me.

[gettingtherequickly]

I thought it was per child and per parent.

[insancerre]

Its £120 per child per parent
Some leas have decided not to charge but not all

[HolesInTheFloor]

I thought it was £60 per parent for each day missed?

The recent court case is pretty much irrelevant and everyone is still getting fined.

[PotteringAlong]

It's per child per parent.

[insancerre]

It is reduced to £60 per child per parents if its paid straight away

[DiggersRest]

Oh dear OP, you're probably about to get your arse handed to you (MN hates term time holidays!)

I think it's always been clear you get fined for 5 days absence hasn't it? I also think because of the appeal to the recent ruling councils will be going hard on this.

I thought it was £120 per child per adult so l will be interested to read as my dd school's borough isn't very clear.

[datingbarb]

How does it work if parents are divorced and only 1 parent is taking them away? Do they still both get fined?

[OddBoots]

It is £60 per child per parent so £240 total. The fines aren't on hold due to the court case - in fact it looks like there have been increasing numbers of fines.

I am not sure if that letter means that you would be fined for any future unauthorised absence or that if you have unauthorised absence in the future then you would be fined for his absence as well as the next one - if the latter then it may be £480 next time as it covers both holidays. Check the wording carefully.

[OddBoots]

his=this

[TeenAndTween]

I hope it won't be in May again.
You won't be popular if you take a y2 child out during KS1 SATs.

[JackieAndHyde4eva]

So glad I live where I do where schools and education board apply common sense.

[PotteringAlong]

If parents are divorced but both have parental responsibility then yes, they both get fined.

[taytotayto111]

She did sats this year

[sonlypuppyfat]

Bloody hell OP you would think they were your kids, don't you know they belong to the school now

[apple1992]

It is £60 per child per parent. The criteria may vary slightly between local authorities, in ours 4 days unauthorised in 10 weeks can be fined.

I'm surprised you weren't fined. Most councils have not changed anything due to Jon Platt.

Pottering - sometimes, but no always. It's up to the school/LAs judgement based on the individual circumstances. we probably wouldn't fine the other parent is we have either evidence or good reason to believe they didn't agree to it, or had little control over it.

[apple1992]

So OP unless it changes you'll possibly be fined £240

[Onthedowns]

Most councils have stopped taking people to court since the court case that has reduced. Interestingly enough fines were up 54% up on last year. I would like to know where in the local council the money goes

[Mycraneisfixed]

Not all LAs or schools implement fines. If you're fined, just pay it. "You did the crime, now pay the fine". Cheaper than fighting it!

[apple1992]

Onthedowns - the money pays for the EWS I think. I don't think they make any profit from it!

I think some councils have stepped back, but definitely not most.

[apple1992]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36745062

[BombadierFritz]

Could always lie

[apple1992]

Bomadier- with two kids? It'd be pretty obvious.

[Tubemole1]

My DM worked in education and she pointed out to me that often it's still cheaper to pay the fine and go on holiday in term time than in the holidays.

I am given allocated leave in my job (leave "periods") in public transport, so if I want to go away with DH and DD in the holidays I have to swap. Trying to find someone willing to give up leave in August is an annual pain in the butt. We aren't going on holiday this year for that reason. Next year, my allocated leave period for summer is in May/June so I will be applying to school for DD leave of absence. We have never asked before and DD has excellent attendance (She will be in Y5).

[Piratepete1]

As an ex-teacher and now a parent the whole system is ridiculous. Children who had 1 or 2 weeks off school for a holiday never caused me any problems. The parents were generally good at taking the work with them and it wasn't much more extra effort for me in the whole scheme of things. The children that did cause problems were the ones that often had a Friday off because mum couldn't be bothered to get out of bed, who came in smelly or unfed. No fine is going to resolve a situation like that, it will likely make it worse.

Ironically, my children now go to a private school where they have about 8 extra weeks holiday a year to state schools. And parents are allowed to take their children out for an additional 2 weeks holiday. They spend at least an hour a day playing sport, and music and art is a huge part of the curriculum. I am a parent helper there and i would say that by Year 2 75% of the class are working at a level beyond Year 2 state schools. Why? Because those parents are paying a bloody huge amount of money for their child's education. They support their child at home, reading and homework always done and they have expectations of their children. Another key factor is the class size of 18.

Now obviously many parents with children at state school support their children in this way but many don't. And it is that proportion of the population that fines were supposed to hit, but they don't.

[snowy508601]

Onthedowns - the money pays for the EWS I think. I don't think they make any profit from it!

They still had EWS a long long time before holiday fines were introduceds