Surely they should just get her to pay the fine?

I think that fining parents for short periods off if their kids normally have good attendance is daft. I do however think that we need more EWOs and they need to have more authority to act with families where they know that parents are not making the effort to get their kids to school. Support should be provided first but if there is concern that the family is not engaging despite plenty of help fines should be an option. There is no doubt that people often allow their kids the day off when they have a subject they don't like or when there is a test or when it's their birthday or when they want to get away early on a Friday etc etc.

I have no particular views on the fine, but am PMSL at the idea that sitting on a beach for a fortnight and going to a wedding qualify as important educational opportunities.

She won't get sent to prison. She'll get a bigger fine to pay.

It will be far more harmful to the education of this child to have his mother sent to prison. What 6 year old is going to be able to learn well at school when he hasn’t seen his mother for months? Zero logic to any of this. If it’s about improving educational outcomes then they need a complete a rethink.

@Psychoticbreak
If "they do", what happens if they don't?

They do, but if you want to take them out for a holiday or for any other reason the schools here trust the parents judgement instead of asking can you take your own child out for whatever reason.

so glad I live in Ireland where you can take your own child out of school for whatever reason and not get fines and threats

I didn't realise that kids in Ireland don't have to go to school.

I would like to clarify, you do not get multiple opportunities, No reminders nothing. All I have been trying to do is pay the fine ever since I found out I was suppose to receive one in September. HCC are the ones that are stopping me from having that opportunity unfortunately.

The UK is nuts. So glad I live in Ireland where you can take your own child out of school for whatever reason and not get fines and threats. Its batshit.

We get threatened with fines after dc miss a week watching dh take part in a fantastic sporting event every year... This year I intend to add up lessons missed due to endless charity events like Children In Need /Red Nose day / Sport's Day / Theatre trip /church events /school fairs etc. All none essential..

Term time fines are ridiculous anyway. Here in Wales they take a much more reasonable stance on term time holidays. Never known anyone to be fined at our local school. Waste of time, money and resources taking them to court.

Yes and they thought they'd got away with having to pay hers. I just find it very difficult to believe they didn't know they would both get a fine it's hardly a well kept secret.

It's not a well kept secret that they might both have been fined, but if they genuinely did only receive one letter (and FWIW, if they've paid one fine I can't see why they wouldn't just pay both and avoid the hassle of not) you're hardly going to call up the council and say "hiya, are you going to fine me too" are you? It's just as plausible one parent was fined to make the point, IMHO.

I think attending the family wedding was the unmissable bit.

Since when has a fortnight in Cyprus been considered "a holiday of a lifetime"? 😂

Absolutely @DrCoconut

I'm a rule follower and all that jazz, but COVID lockdowns, strikes and bereavement have all led me to a point where I care a bit less about school absence and a bit more about time with loved ones etc.

Implementing the rules to this degree just makes them look petty and does nothing to tackle the real causes of low achievement resulting from persistent absence.

For those saying she would have multiple reminders - not even the council is arguing that. They say they sent one letter and can prove it was issued but no proof of receipt or further attempts at communication. I'd be embarrassed to be them tbh.

HCC are notorious for court action for attendance. The judge will likely go low end

@Yesnosorryplease We have had a dreadful year so far and are going away just before the summer break to celebrate one of my parents birthday. It is a one off for a few days, I don't normally take term time holidays. DS is currently in hospital and his brother has been ill too so in July they will probably fine me for non attendance but sometimes time with family matters more.

So many English schools seem to be a bit batshit on this issue. When I take my kids out of school (Scotland) all that get said is 'have a lovely time'.

She is not being taken to court for the fine. She is being taken to court for not paying the fine, then ignoring the numerous letters she will have received about it.

It's like any other fine or debt - if you ignore it there is a process that eventually ends up in a court hearing. There is a point beyond which you cannot get out of it by simply paying the original fine.

The bit that gets me is that HCC said they only have a legal duty to prove they sent the fine. Not for it to turn up.

They are basically saying it may not have turned up, admitting the one that did was paid and they now have to prosecute as a result.

But it HCC. They aren't known for common sense attitudes so I'm leaning towards believing the mum in this case.

I think it's been screwed by her defending her reason to take him rather than the actual point that she didn't pay the fine because it never arrived.

He paid his fine though. She didn't (but not really her fault since she did try)

Not read the thread but there's clearly a dad in those pictures too. I HATE the way it's always on the mum's as if the dads don't know/don't care/weren't involved in any way at all. He agreed too!

She will have been given plenty of opportunity to pay the fine before it got to the court stage.

She's not going to jail and she won't be fined £2,500. She's been daft and thought she could get away with it. Perhaps the fine really didn't arrive, or they thought it was for one parent only.

Most people abide by the rules, a few don't and they get to pay fines.