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!

Yes. No need to get het up about it.

Ok this was a super helpful response. 👏🏽

lol 🤦🏻‍♀️

Well, ultimately you made the decision and that was your choice. My query was that any teacher would minimise 3 weeks' worth of schooling, but if that's what you're saying.

If prosecuted and guilty will you be allowed to enter USA ever again particularly if it’s a prison sentence?

Nope. So just leave it now.

I wonder if you have missed a fine letter - and they are now going to prosecution.

May be worth getting in touch with LA and asking that - without admitting anything before taking legal advice.

I will say this much.

As a daughter and mother of (separate!) infant teachers.

This notion that kids at infants don’t learn anything you can’t teach them yourself and it’s only once they’re higher up the school that the teachers actually start teaching them really rips my knitting.

The first thing you need to do is download the attendance policy specific to your school and confirm this is the correct step.
It’s an unusual one if you’ve never had a fine before. Can you share it?

Why didn’t you go during the summer holidays? It shows such contempt for school.

It’s court-worthy op, because it’s 3 weeks! A quarter of a term! Nobody is going to go lighter on you because you believe it’s not as bad as going mid year.

So you should be fined!

Well that's awful for you, OP. I know it's the law but it does seem very draconian.

I was threatened with legal action because DC2 had too many sick days in year 8. I was absolutely furious - I kept the school informed daily and sent in evidence such as photos of blood test forms.

Yes, you'll need legal advice. I hope you don't get too big of a punishment.

The only error I wonder could have happened… so you have three children?
usually the third absence leads to court instead of a fine. Is there a possibility three absences have been counted for one child somewhere, instead of one absence for three children?

Could taking your children on holiday for 3 weeks really affect your future career working with children? That's truly insane if so

I think the difference is the LA has referred to the courts. At this stage it is not a school or LA typical jurisdiction. The courts have their own framework. Also in OP posts she's stated time missed and it is clear the LA have passed this. Based on 3 week holiday alone for number of children and two parents making this decision it is something the courts have accepted.
The OP was not given permission by the Head of the school and therefore regardless of what typically happens it's been brought to attention of the Court. I think understanding court processes and how she should act going forward. It can't be taken back from their attention and it is enough time missed on its own. Attendance at school level is very different to the letter of the law. The LA have very strict criteria and Courts have responded. She did not ask for written approval of the Head teacher but made them aware - so she was aware she should not take them out of school.
I feel for the OPs anxiety but she just needs to accept the outcome and act reasonably. If the fine is more than she can afford the courts will do payment plans etc. It's hard but I think helpful that people who have experienced at this level hopefully comment. But it's not in the schools hands anymore. At most they would be asked for attendance records but as the school reported to LA and LA chosen to act, shows the school were not in agreement and that came from executive level.

I’m surprised you are surprised! We got an unauthorised absence for an Orthodentic appointment. One that I had requested to be at a suitable time but which was NHS allocated. A predicament I can tell you as we’d waited for sometime for this appointment (not cosmetic as NHS) and were told if we cancelled we’d be at the start of the process again or have to pay privately for it.

You chose to take two school age children out to school for 3 weeks prior to a lengthy holiday, and whilst you might not think it’s important, that changeover is where they get used to the idea of change, meet new teachers and get an idea of what will be expected of them.

your best option is to talk to a solicitor

Usually im all in favour of parents pulling their kids from school for holidays but three weeks is insane. One week max.

Just don’t take it out on the school. It’s not the school’s job to tell you what the law is. They may genuinely have thought it would only be a fine, but once it’s with the LA the decision on when to fine, when to prosecute rests with them.

It won’t be the response for many cases, I suspect the LA has a threshold for when they offer a fine, and when they prosecute. It’s probably because it’s so long (I genuinely have never heard of someone taking 3 weeks unauthorised, let alone 2 kids).

There should be some information in the correspondence you’ve been sent, but I would still get advice from a solicitor asap. You can find a decent one if you search legal directories for solicitors specialising in education law, but a decent criminal solicitor will help.

You could phone and discuss this with the LA but remember they don’t act for you, they act for themselves.

Placemark for the outcome 🫣

Goodluck OP!

Wow. That’s a lot of school.

i took my kids out for 2 weeks before Easter break once - just after covid so they hadn’t seen their grandparents in 3 years. We had a memorial service for my husband’s grandparents who died during Covid and my brother’s wedding and we still had to get permission from the council as the school couldn’t approve that length. There was paperwork and whatnot. So I’m a bit surprised that it hadn’t occurred to you there might be an issue. For what it’s worth, my kids have 95% attendance every other year and it still needed extra work to go.

OP, you say their attendance is good. I'm sorry but 3 weeks out of school for a holiday is frankly dismal attendance.

I think there is a huge difference between a parent whose child who has medical problems with proof and another parent who took their children on a three week holiday.
I do hope your DC is in good health now.

Something that is surprising- the actual outcome for over two weeks off school is usually off-rolling the child.

I mean, your kids have barely started school and you’ve had them out for holidays for weeks on end. Twice. You also admit they have time off for illness so not 100% attendance in the first place.

I think it’s pretty helpful to suggest shopping around to avoid this mess and to put a stop to you thinking “but we have no choice” when you clearly do.

You are lucky they are still on roll - I know of a primary school near me (with waiting list for places) who warned a parent that they would take a student off roll when they were taken for a holiday in term time ( admittedly it was for over a month ) and they did !