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!

Are you loving that?

Can I ask what area you are in? My child will be missing 3 weeks of school in December/January as we are travelling to visit his grandparents in Australia (who we have not seen in 3 years). We have already told the school. Everything I have read so far online has indicated we would get a first offence fine. Now I'm worried.

Well, that's the message my parents sent to me, along with having a great work ethic all their lives.

I'm sure that week in the Lake District in May instead of being in school every year did me untold damage 🤔

Did something terrible happen to her?

Sorry you are getting such negative feedback. You are doing what you think is best for your kids. Has everyone forgot the Covid years, teacher’s strikes etc. I’m sure there will be no long lasting impact on their education as you are clearly a caring parent.. But you are a hostage to the state school system and will just have to play along. Say sorry won’t happen again, be contrite and deal with the fine. Good luck.

What's wrong with teaching kids that their/our needs are a priority sometimes? Why is that a problem?
It's a not regular thing. It's a one off. Sometimes we all should put ourselves first. I seriously don't get why you think that is wrong.

DD2's was about 30% in Year 9. I wasn't fined.

I find it very hard to believe that any teachers condoned you missing 3 weeks or indicated that it was just "handover" work.

Yes. I’m always surprised by the amount of people that don’t know it can affect a DBS check…which for some does have serious implications for their employment. I believe the lesser fines for the first two offences do not show up on a check, but if found guilty at a magistrates court it can show up on any DBS checks as “a failure to safeguard a child’s education”. I’m sure this is rare but it is worth knowing.

I too am a recent ex-teacher and whilst I have much more freedom to take holidays when I want…my children don’t and so after researching the possible outcomes I’ve decided it’s just not worth the risk to take children out for any amount of holiday as I still work with children, as does my husband, and we couldn’t afford to both have safeguarding flags…it could potentially cost us much more than a fine in the long run.

I’m not saying I agree with the system but unfortunately it’s the rules we have to work within.

Most people don’t have the option of choosing to home school or go private? I don’t get why people don’t get that?

This isn’t a system in place in many other countries - including other countries in the UK! Is there any evidence to show that this system actually addresses the harms it’s seeking to address? - which is persistent absences from vulnerable / at risk children. It’s a punitive measure so the government can be seen to be doing something, regardless of whether it works or not.

Circumstances obviously vary at the school's discretion but this is what you agree to when you use the state education system.

Can someone clarify whether this rule is to protect children or to protect teachers?

Exactly. Its a tick box exercise and an excuse to blame parents for the struggling education system.

I'm another person reading all this from a Scottish perspective and am about to take my DC out of school for a holiday. They will miss 7 full days and 2 half days.

Lots of people go on holiday in term time here. Lots of people also just let their DC stay at home on a Friday because its a half day and I guess they don't think it matters. I don't do the latter, but this will be our second term time holiday in 6 years. It's Primary School.

The rules in England seem a bit extreme to me. Genuine criminals get less of a hard time! I hope it won't be as bad as you fear OP.

Yet again, a system that only benefits the rich. Do what you like and just pay the fine.

Everyone else has to suck it up and take their holidays outside of term time or not at all.

Precisely.

3 WEEKS?!? What did you think would happen? This has to be wind up??

It's a bit early for the once upon a time threads. Usually late Friday night they start. But I applaud the number of button pushing points that have been achieved 😄

It's more to do with the rest of the class I think. The teacher needs to catch the kids up who missed weeks of lessons, which means the other kids aren't benefiting from their learning in the same way.

Well, those are the rules in England, as a result of concerns about attendance. I suppose many will think it's the wrong approach, but that's the law, it's not decided by the teachers or the school leadership.
You can always contact your MP, @Questionairballoon and explain your problem.

😂

Three weeks is a long time and I think you might have expected some response. I can see how it is confusing as the teachers on the ground appeared unperturbed by this - but as others have said the ramifications are not in their hands.

I personally think the rules about holiday absence are over-zealous and parents are losing the right to make choices for their own children. They are obliged to send their children into school, but have no say over what the content of school is and what influences are being exerted on their own children.

You only have to read Mumsnet for a few days to see how unsatisfactory the school experience is for many children, whose parents would no doubt home school if they were in a position to do so.

But, under the current draconian system you must expect their to be consequences.

The school are minding their backs with an eye to the next OfSted. God - it's like a police state!! School is watching you because OfSted is watching them!!

There won't be any catching to be done. Last 3 weeks of term, a different teacher, new curriculum. They'll be just fine. There'll be other kids who haven't so much looked at a pencil all summer who will be far worse off.

There, not their! - I did go to school, honest guv!

I mean a holiday (usually) is never essential is it? Unless it's to see dieing relatives etc.

Many people just don't go abroad and just do something locally.

Yes we did do a term time holiday once. We paid the fine and got on with it