Holiday in term time..have you ever been fined?

[PuddyMuddles82]

I’ve booked a holiday in term time, primary aged child, who will miss 4 days. I’m going to let them know, but will I get fined? Dd attendance is 100% and previous years always 100%.

My eldest child has probably been out of school during term time for a holiday on about 10 different occasions and we haven’t been fined for any of them.

No but my friend in the same LEA has been multiple times. It very much depends on the school.

The guidance for schools is 5 consecutive days or more. 4 should be ok.

i believe guidance has been tightened up this academic year, so where people would not have been fined previously they are now.

i think 4 days should be ok though, it 5 (10 sessions) which takes you over the threshold and gets you the fine. Other random unauthorised absences (or lates I think) within a 10 week period would also count but if you’re at 100% you should be ok.

We did it once and got fined. Different LEAs seem to have differing opinions.

Took DS out of secondary school for a week in Feb and wasn’t fined. Was fairly convinced we would be.

Rules have been tightened up and changed for this academic year.
Most if not all LEA’s in England will ow fine for 5 consecutive days missed or 10 sessions missed in a 10 week period.
Its also worth noting that

1. Some schools / LEA’s fine for just a single days absence
2. they do not have to offer the fine. A fine is an offer to settle out of court. But they don’t have to offer this. They can issue a court summons instead of a fine. This is rare but can and has happened this academic year to some parents.
3. If you take a second period of abscence within a 3 year rolling period the second fine is more
4. If you take a third period of abscence within a 3 year rolling period, you will be taken to court rather than fined.

You won’t know yet. It can take up to 6 months for the fine to come through.

A colleague was, and like a PP, it took months to come through.

But I suspect it is very much dependent on the school, LEA dependent, length of absence and possibly whether it is a one off or something you've done regularly.

I have been for 5 days, fine came through within 2 weeks. I’m hoping this week will be different as we’ve only missed 4 days because of the bank holiday.