Kids missed 3wks school, council taking me to court!

[Questionairballoon]

Hi all,

I am very unsure about what to do.

DC aged 6 and 8. I took them on holiday this summer. missed the last 3 weeks of school (July 2025).

For context, their attendance is always good. Only time they ever miss school is when poorly. They enjoy going. Last time we took them on holiday they were 3 and 5 and they missed maybe 2 weeks of nursery/school.

Before we left this time, I emailed the head teacher and spoke with the staff partly to apologise and also to find out what they might miss for the last 3 weeks so I could cover with them if needed. For what it’s worth, both kids do well in school. Teachers wished us happy hols and we left on a positive note.

The holiday was 2 weeks in Europe and 2 weeks in America. They had some fantastic experiences and got to meet relatives who live abroad. We were back in August, they had almost a month to recoup and then back to school business as usual!

We expected a fine but got nothing. This week, I’ve received a court order telling me to expect paperwork where I’ll be “pleading guilty or not guilty”.

I’m gobsmacked tbh. Has anyone been in this situation? Any advice at all? I don’t even know what to say!

When I took DD out in Y6 after the SATS to go to DLP for a week, we had a letter from the LEA saying that they couldn't fine us as they hadn't followed procedure, but a second absence would go straight to court. So if this is not your first offence then it looks like they are doing the same.

Most schools make parents aware of the absence policy and reporting to LEA and the potential consequences.

I am sorry, but you did break the rules knowingly, and do need to face the consequences of your choice to take them out of school for 3 weeks.

And hope there are spaces when you get back

Yes a criminal record that would show up on both of your DBS records. As well as possibly £2500 per child, per parent. So possibly 10k fine?

Why didn't you throughly research this?

Oh good god! I do know we don’t own our children! Seriously? Neither does the state, neither does the school. I actually don’t care what OP did or didn’t do. I just said … if you want to take them on holiday at the end of term when everyone is doing fuck all in class … they’re your children. I never said they were objects or possessions. That’s a bit of a reach… I actually cannot be arsed having to defend things I didn’t say on here!

Absolute nonsense of a situation, no wonder you're gobsmacked.

Have you told any of the parents at your children’s school op?

there’s a difference between a fine that is under £200 and a holiday cost difference of thousands.

Yes, I had an error in my judgement with regards to the ramifications. Blow up some balloons and cheers! 🥂 I’m glad it gives you something to be happy about but I’m just trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

I can't believe anyone would advise to plead not guilty. Jez, if you do that then do expect a very big response. It may no longer be handled in magistrates though I suspect they will bring in higher tier to hear the case. You clearly have know idea what court costs are to the state. You will face severe and legally guided recompense for that. You've sent emails saying you are going. This is not about should or shouldn't parents be allowed, what policy the government make. This is enshrined in law and magistrates job is not to be political but be guided by law. By all means accept guilty and send supporting statement. You can get advice on most Family Law websites, look for charities on how to do that. But the best you can hope is that they see you as showing remorse, accountability and by all means put some caveats in on benefit to your children but on reflection you understand that is not the law and accept. Move on. I actually worry that if you have to attend you are going to end up really annoying and already delayed and costly court. Your heating if heard will be 5 mins max. Don't create any more cost or fuss.

Whether you home school, agree or disagree, the OP knew and had great insight or should have which is more worrying on what the penalty would be and did it anyway.
Why didn't you speak with executives at school to consider how they could cover content and if you could mitigate eg not going as long. You put them in a situation where they have to do their job. But trying to blame them for implying it would be movie, wind down time. Wow if I taught your children I would be really offended at that.
How are you going to manage when they are at secondary. People have been teachers longer than you and can't afford to these trips for their children - why should you be any different.
A teacher would get referred too. Please don't blame teachers, the LA. You made a decision knowing the risk.

Does the state own them? Because they're actually the ones trying to dictate what parents can and can't do with their children.

So you’re allowed to have your child NOT registered in any school at all but you’re not allowed to take your kids on holiday with their family during term time? 😂😂😂

We got comms about this from our school a while ago now. Did you?

Lol sorry typos. Not about heating. Hearing lol

How much was the fine that you anticipated, when costing up term-time vs school holidays, and deciding this as the more affordable option?

Did you think it would be just a few hundred pounds each?

Personally, I don't choose to take my children out for holidays, although once took my eldest out for 1 day at the end of term to visit overseas grandparents. Annual Leave dates were dictated by my husband's employer and this one day saved us over £3k on the cost of flights. (The younger children weren't compulsory school age.)

Gobsmacked? Really?

It is totally irrelevant the teachers waved you happily off on your holiday. They are not the ones who make up and implement the law regarding taking your children out of school for a jolly.

Yes, it is frustrating regarding the price hikes during school holidays, and it really is not fair, as most parents cannot afford such ridiculous prices.

But, the law is the law. You chose to break it and must now accept whatever consequences the court decides to impose. 🤷‍♀️

The idea that the state somehow 'knows best' is fucking laughable considering advances in children's rights actually largely fundamentally come from mothers and women and not politicians and councils.

OP...

The fine you get in court is not going to be under 200 quid.

It could be up to 2500 per parent per child. And possibly court costs on top of that.

It’s about the resourcing and extra work for teachers. Imagine everyone could just take their kid out when they like, it would be chaos. It’s a deterrent for a reason.

2 weeks is bad enough to take them out but 3. How ridiculous. Unfortunately that’s what happens. They were about to have 6 weeks off anyway. I’m sorry it’s come to court but it’s probably gone to court because it was 3 whole weeks

The law is an ass though. We were perpetually threatened with fining and imprisonment because DD2 was absent with EBSA. It never happened but I was in constant fear of it, even though we were able to provide diagnoses and medical evidence, not the least because either of both of us could lose our careers with a criminal conviction.

All power to your elbow, OP, hope you find a solicitor who can help you. So your kids have what, 92% attendance in spite of the absence. So is everyone else with less than that being prosecuted too? I think not. Perhaps you can show what alternative education you provided while the kids were away.

I know. That’s my point. We assumed the fine of being absent would be the usual under £200ish and that it was not going to be straight to court…

The people levying fines and criminal prosecutions don't give a shiny shit about teachers.

So nothing to do with the welfare of the children then.

3 weeks off school unauthorised for a holiday is excessive so I don't know why you expected anything else. Yabu.

Wow OP I think you are getting a lot of undeserved stick on this. Memories are much more important than the last few weeks of term. Our children absolutely do wind down the last few weeks of terms - sports days, recapping what they have gone through already, colouring, movies, crafts, transitions days, trips out etc. please don’t be so hard on yourself - it will just be protocol and I hope you have a fair judge on the day. Please come back and let me know how you get on. X

If there were no consequences for truancy everyone would do it all the time

You took the absolute pee taking 3 weeks and not even trying to overlap with school holidays.

The LA don't have a choice, they have to show they are taking action