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!

You are lucky they have still got places at the school! The school I worked in in England was very over subscribed and 15 day absence would have caused the LA to replace the child.

I had a child accompany a parent abroad for a medical procedure and took 14 days (actually 4 weeks but there was a week holiday + inset day). The head and I had to fight the LA, who were ready to replace him!

Also, I’m Sure you’ve become an expert now, it’s the long term absences the LA look least favourably upon and are also the easiest to prove abs take action against.

I know someone with family other side of the world so they deregistered the kids from school, took their month long trip then applied for their places back on return. Risky if it’s a popular school but it worked for them and they avoided a fine.

OP could also consider home education if she doesn’t want to comply with the attendance rules. There is no law forcing you to send your children to school.

I find it hard to believe that the teachers would say that they weren't learning anything in 3 weeks! 😂

And where were the LA going to place this child in his best interests? Kicking a kid out of school is better than missing 3 weeks?

All in the interests of the child I presume.

Of course the local authority will be taking action! Why would you think they would condone you taking your children out of school for three weeks? The fact that you say they have ‘generally’ good attendance is irrelevant - you can’t just take your children out of school for that length of time without consequences.

I'm a school attendance officer and to be honest this sounds odd. Even with a three week holiday unless you've had 2 other holidays since the new rules came in I wouldn't expect them to take you to court. I would question their evidence and the fact you weren't notified by the school you were at risk of a fine. Maybe other councils make it easier but the amount of hoops I have to jump through to ensure the council have the right evidence to proceed to court is crazy! In my LA if a parent says they are going away and hasn't been informed by the school they are at risk of a fine/going to court, the council can't fine... If they're trying to say they weren't aware and became aware later the council should have contacted you and given you an opportunity to respond.

She said she understands our reasoning but it is not “authorised absence” (which we knew ofc) and that she would have to pass it on to the council (which we assumed would incur the typical fine). I didn’t want to lie about “sick relatives” or whatever so made our reasons clear to her in advance.

The heads exact words were “the absence will incur a fine and I encourage you to pay it as soon as possible”

It's called child protection.

3 weeks is a lot! I think it’s a standard response.

That time just before the summer for that age group is usually mainly just fun activities nothing that's going to be a disaster to miss

Why didn’t you do 2 weeks with one lot this year and two weeks with the other next?

Can you clarify one thing, please?
Did both teachers actually say that in those 3 weeks the children weren't going learn anything important?

When? It has gotten as whole lot stricter post new guidance in August 2025

@NameChangedForThis2025 having had a child with EBSA I hate the rules - they are truly awful but they are the rules - if the OP had checked the fact she is going to court is an expected outcome for 3 weeks absent and is likely to have a fine up to £1000 attached (would have thought imprisonment or parenting classes might be avoided)

Fun activities, for 3 weeks?
I doubt that very much.

Other than the whoops of joy for our court order
this made me smile ....

Three weeks?! No it isn't.

Well it may vary from school to school but that has been my experience.

I’m not sure i understand your question, but if she wanted to come and spend time with her dying father then she shouldn’t be fined or criminalised for taking her kids out of school for a period of time to enable that.

It won’t have been 4.5k cheaper to go when you did. You just didn’t shop around. We go to the states in the summer holidays sometimes. It’s not even 4.5k for the whole trip 🤣

For 3 weeks? Ok.

You need to go and get some legal advice before you sign anything.

This is probably the best advice - get some legal help and figure out the best way forward for you.

Fines for hoildays and absences have been a thing for 28 years most parents I know who use state are aware and look at fines and consquences before they book things to avoid this - you unfortunately haven't so pay for legal advice and see if they can help you avoid a crimincal record that could impact travel and future work prospects.

As a minimum these rules should only really apply to children whose educational level is out of reach of the average parent eg when maths and science etc become complex. At 6 and 8 they would benefit from spending time with their families.

I think that's a special circumstance and would have been taken into consideration.

honestly I remember speaking to the teacher who said it’s perfectly fine but to be mindful of the fine, she said we’re just going to be “recapping” and focusing on the class handover. They were kind enough to even show my child his new classroom in advance (just a few second sort of thing where they said, your new classroom is this one here, not a full on tour)

as a teacher and as a person with common sense, I do think taking 3 weeks off in the middle of the year is different to 3 weeks off in the literal last month of school. No it’s not ideal but is it really court-worthy?

as I said a million times I am taking responsibility but I’m just really shocked that this is the first option for them