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Original poster

School Abscense Fine - huge amount

955 replies

PMDD · 16/01/2014 08:08

If I am correct, if you take your child/ren out of school without prior agreement, there is an automatic fine of £60/day/child/parent?

So for us, a family with 3 children, a 2 week holiday in (say) June, would cost us £3600 - or double that if we don't pay within a certain amount of time!

Is it me to think that is totally unreasonable?!

That is a huge amount. The people who take their children out normally can't afford the hike in holiday prices, so how on earth would they afford the fine?

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 16/01/2014 08:11

I think the idea is that the fine is enough to put people off taking term time holidays.

They don't expect you to pay the fine. They expect you to send your child to school and go on holiday during the holidays, so being able to afford the fine shouldn't matter.

macdoodle · 16/01/2014 08:11

Well a 2 week holiday in June seems excessive to me, I don't understand this need for lengthy expensive holidays. Funnily enough most people don't take their children out of school to go in holiday.

diddl · 16/01/2014 08:11

Don't take your kids out-no fine!

Have a holiday that you can afford within the 12wks that there isn't school!

Joysmum · 16/01/2014 08:12

So don't take them out of school.

Have a staycation instead. Having been taken out of school every year when I was a child, I made the decision not to do this to my child. No, we don't have holidays away every year but we do weekends away and days out etc.

ENormaSnob · 16/01/2014 08:12

Surely thats the idea?

macdoodle · 16/01/2014 08:12

Maybe if they stay in school they'll be able to spell absence Hmm

Coldlightofday · 16/01/2014 08:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThistletoeAndWine · 16/01/2014 08:14

Is it not 60 pound a week per child but x2 (2parents) so therefore fine be 360???

winterchunderland · 16/01/2014 08:15

Taking the kids out of school disrupts the other children when they have to have special attention to catch up when they get back.
Reasonable fine to me.

I really don't understand the obsession with costly family holidays abroad over education in this country.

ThistletoeAndWine · 16/01/2014 08:15

For one week I should add

Onesiegoddess · 16/01/2014 08:15

Doesn't the fine only come into place after a week?

I think it's ridiculous that schools don't allow holidays. Holidays are so enriching for the whole family.

Original poster
PMDD · 16/01/2014 08:16

I realise that the whole point is a real deterrent. However, I was so shocked by the whole per child/per parent/per day calculation, that I couldn't believe I had it right.

Have I got it right?

OP posts:
Original poster
PMDD · 16/01/2014 08:17

Thisletoe, I have read that it is per day not per week.

OP posts:
Original poster
PMDD · 16/01/2014 08:18

If the fine were per child/per parent/per week, the calculation would be more reasonable, In my opinion! However, per day is mad.

OP posts:
Shakirasma · 16/01/2014 08:19

Holidays are very enriching for the family, luckily the UK school system gives you 13 weeks a year to choose from.

Peekingduck · 16/01/2014 08:20

Why the hell would anyone take their children out of school for two weeks in June? I can understand a few days maybe, but ffs children do need their schooling.

SiliconeSally · 16/01/2014 08:22

You seem to consider it the normal default position to take your kids out of school for two weeks to go on holiday. This is exactly the mindset the fine is intended to change.

We all know that prices are higher on peak season, we all know that once we have kids and they are in school holiday abroad will probably be too expensive .

We look for deals, go to holiday parks in a caravan rent, will try camping, drive to Northern France, etc.

Once in a while a short time out of school will do no harm, and I do think it is wring for fines to be imposed like this when no criminal act has occurred, but I don't agree with this 'I am entitled to remove my kids from school as the norm to get a bargain holiday' attitude, either.

They are out of school for 15 weeks as it is. Holidays fit round education, not the other way around.

Coldlightofday · 16/01/2014 08:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Northumberlandlass · 16/01/2014 08:24

er.... think that's the point. Don't take them out of school for 2 weeks in June! Confused

macdoodle - ha!

2014newme · 16/01/2014 08:25

It is not per day!

slev · 16/01/2014 08:26

Just out of interest on this (and sorry for the hijack OP) - am I right in thinking the school can operate some discretion? BIL is probably getting married in Australia next year and as we can't reasonably expect him to plan it around DS's school holidays, that would potentially mean we can't go without paying a huge fine. Which I would probably do rather than DH going on his own.

I completely agree with the school fining people for basic holidays - but surely there are some instances where absence during term time is more excusable as a one-off?

scaevola · 16/01/2014 08:26

The fines have been around since 2003, and there was never a 'right' to a term time holiday (it's always been at the head's discretion - the changed wording doesn't change the substance, simply the expectation).

Boreoff456 · 16/01/2014 08:27

I would take my kids out of school for a holiday. That's who.

Anyway the fine is per child. Not per day.
It makes me laugh that schools can go on strike when they want, but parents can not decide for their own children.

The one in the newspapers this week was so high due to the parents not paying, she it kept you up.

Its also important to note that these children already had bad attendance before the holiday and since this holiday their attendance has massively improved. So in a way the fine worked. The children now attend school on a regular basis.

The headteacher of dds school says they only usually fine people if the attendance is generally bad.

Joules68 · 16/01/2014 08:28

Op you are being ridiculous

Per day is because it's a school day lost

Binkyridesagain · 16/01/2014 08:28

no body needs to go on holiday, children however do need to go to school.