Holiday fines?

[frozen1234]

Hi.

Im after some advice.

We have been on holiday and took our son in september. We paid the fine.

We have another holiday in march and wondered what the process is? Would we get another fine or do they take you to court for the second time you do it. Out of curiosity can you keep having hols each year and paying the fine? Or will they eventually take you to court?

Thanks for any answers on the above questions..

per parent ( even if not living with them) per kid, per week

ah - I am sure if varies Worra

I think it does Betty

It would be a lot less confusing if it didn't!

mummymeister Mon 20-Oct-14 16:01:25

totally agree, on here we are talking to people whose backgrounds and budgets we have no idea of.

Jesus, if people start voting for who runs the country on the basis they want a cheap holiday, we're all doomed.

In most cases its a holiday thats cheap or no holiday,

Right to family life, learning and exploring our amazing world together?

Maybe not important on some peoples lists, vital priority at the top of mine. Busiling family memories and doing lovely things, all the while learning.

Before the law changed, there was a specific statement that parents could request (and therefore be granted) upto 10 days for a family holiday

Yes there was, and a situation very quickly developed where some parents maintained "we're allowed 10 days a year." There was no acknowledgment that it had to be requested any more - they simply insisted they were entitled to it and so the abuse of the system grew, resulting in the current crack down

While most thinking people accept there'll always be genuine exceptions, very many of those parents weren't any such thing - but they got away with so much, so often and for so long that they're naturally unhappy to be told the party's now over

As I said, none of us enjoy being told we can't have something we want, but that doesn't necessarily mean the organisations doing the telling are wrong

the more people who do this the fewer cheap holidays there will be anyway . ALL of july will be £££

You can make families memories together without going on 'holidays' though, they don't only occur during one week a year.

If you can't afford a holiday one year save and go the next. Enjoy the local area instead.

Holidays are nice but they aren't some god given right.

Holidays are nice but they aren't some god given right

But they are to the richer people arn't they?

The fines don't bother them, and or children are in private school with longer holidays.

We enjoy our local area every weekend.

We like to go away. We want to go away.

Then go away during school holidays.

Term time is to be in school unless there are exceptional circumstances.

I think families who work, do have the right to one family holiday a year in a 'first world' country without having to pay through the nose for it..

No they don't. They have a right to time off but nobody has a 'right' to a holiday.

nobody has a 'right' to a holiday.

What about the "right" to make decisions in the best interests of your children, against the advice of Gove?

DP works all weekends and all school holidays. If we never took term time holidays then the dcs would grow up without ever having a holiday with him. I usually take them somewhere on my own but twice we have taken them (the older ones) out in term time. Once was for a wedding abroad. We are not the only parents in this position and it really sucks that some children will never, ever have a family holiday. I'm not asking for 4 weeks a year but 5 days of missed school every 3-4 years shouldn't be equated with such neglectful parenting as to warrant such government meddling imo.

Then go away during school holidays

we do but we cant get abroad. its too much therefore we will go in term time.

I am going to get one chance to enjoy my children as children and I will not miss out because of crack pot ideas from a rich pollution whose own DC will be exempt from these riles and have plenty of time to travel the world with them and enjoy it.

I am not going to be stuck at home watching rain pour down my window whilst all our politicians are off abroad.

I value my childs education more highly than anyone else. I will make those desicions.

They have a right to time off but nobody has a 'right' to a holiday

Can you link me to the rule book of life for this please and at the same time, link me to the actual meaning of life and what we are all doing here chewing the fat on a huge rock floating in space.

Okay, so now it's not just a holiday which is expected, but a holiday abroad

On the other hand, another poster said summer was too hot abroad, so that wouldn't do either and she'd still have to go away in term time

Maybe we should also blame the government / the schools / somebody else for not regulating the weather???

puzzled

I think you are referring to me re the heat, I didn't say summer was too hot abroad

Not that it makes any difference but where I want to go is too hot in the summer and I should probably have clarified that

Been to lots of hot places in August because I am usually a good girl and we go on holiday when we are supposed to

Not next year though

Our children have never been on holiday with us. They are 14 and two, Literally never. We have never had a holiday without them, either. Never. We do not feel deprived.

When did holidays away become so important?

Caff2

Holidays be came so important when they became easily available. Like the Internet, and telly and all the other things we grew up without in the 70's.

Social capital is just as important as other sources of capital. Not everyone has a week in a gritty Spanish resort.But even if they did it's still "away", it's still foreign money and a plane ride and a different country. It's not home and even in a crap resort they learn to swim, mix with new children have fun.Why wouldn't you want your children to see another country.

I don't think the new rules will make any difference to the education your child receives. If you were a good parent before with regards to education you will still be. A week off school will make no difference. If you were less good a week in school won't make any difference either.

Mummymeister -I agree with all your posts.

You say Tiggy that whilst parents may wish to just pay the fine, this is not going to be realistic year after year. Can I ask what is in place from stopping this happening?

I know several mums who fully intend to keep taking term time holidays, reasoning that a £240 fine is still way cheaper on a holiday to Jamaica. I even know people who have had two term time holidays within the same academic year.

Our la advised this:

"
If your child is absent from school for 10 sessions* in a ten-week period, without authorisation from their school, you will be sent a warning letter by the school. This includes sessions where your child has arrived after the school’s registration period without an acceptable reason. If there are no unauthorised absences in the next 15 school days, no further action will be taken. If there are further unauthorised absences there will be no further warning and a Penalty Notice will be issued by the Local Authority."

But what happens if you're happy just to pay the fine...? what's going to be done to stop that? I know plenty of parents who are prepared to do that. What is going to be done to stop that? Because our la say nothing on the matter!

We're in Wales - could that be the difference? Our guidance has come from the Welsh Assembly Government rather than from Westminster.

Here's the link to the relevant document

If you can see something that I've missed, please do point it out to me.

Actually having read through that again, I don't think we'll get fined this year.