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!

This maths is absolutely not mathsing.

Half term is a week, two at most.

A term is on average 6 weeks.

Eh? It says in the OP that they missed nursery and school respectively.

I have no idea why you are being so rude and yet so confidently wrong.

You really haven't worked/volunteered in schools recently or are just on a wind up.

Have a look at the long term curriculum plans which must be published on every state school’s website. This will show you the curriculum coverage for every subject for every year group.
No way do these expectations allow for ‘not much else after May’…

Seriously. We shouldn't bother enforcing the law.
Maybe it will make other parents that have the financial means to go on long expensive vacations realise that these rules are for everyone. Or do you just want it to be enforced on parents that have no means.
There are parents that would love to go away cheaper and keep their children in school.
We should scrap laws and let people do what they want. Sorry your argument is nonsensical.
Great advice had been issued. Of course you can moan about something or change the system.
Maybe don't vote, don't go to the Drs when you are ill as it's all a drop in an ocean. Bet the local schools don't think that. Is it not a good think that these fines go into education and benefit children that haven't been for 3 weeks holiday across two different continents.

Part of me agrees with this: they will have learned as much from the travel.

I guess the issue is parents who let them stay out and are not travelling.

The education system should be sufficiently funded that a holiday every 3 years isn't detrimental.
People are getting upset about the wrong shit here and the kids who end up missing out. Forcing them sit in underfunded classrooms instead of visiting relatives and traveling occasionally. Is this really better for them?
We want kids in the classroom all the time, then focus on making them places kids want to be!

Low attendance has been consistently shown to negatively affect academic progress. Plus at that age they'll have missed some of the enrichment/character building activities that are often scheduled for the end of the year.

I know who I am and what I’ve done. Thanks.

Do you really object to a 5 year old missing some school to go on a family holiday because of the RULES?

It's got nothing to do with funding. It's about children not missing a week here and three weeks there.

But you have to plead guilty op. I mean you did it - whatever the justifications and set off benefits for the children.

Scottish teacher here and I totally agree !

If it is legal advice you need, ask on the legal board or the education boards. There is a very good lawyer who advises on there often commenting on school admissions, appeals, legality etc.

Seems like an utter waste of court time which no fine is going to make up for. Court is a really over the top step here.

It's not about whether I object or not.

The point is that the OP has been summoned to court because her two children both missed three weeks of compulsory schooling, three years after her eldest missed two weeks of compulsory schooling. So not only was it a very long absence, it wasn't even a first offence.

You have done an awful lot of "assuming" for something which can incur serious ramifications. Highly irresponsible - but, your loss.

I'll never understand parents prioritizing holidays over school. What an example to set your children. "Making memories" fgs. Looks like there'll be a significant new memory you can add to your holiday ones 🙄

Again, what different will OPs fine make spread across the whole education system? Who will it benefit? Seriously, divide it up, and tell me who it is helping.

People on this thread are being so wooden and judgemental!
Education isn't everything.
Shared family experiences and time together are the most important and its sad that the rules around fines are trying to destroy that.

Parents are totally stuck between a rock and a hard place....extortionate prices in the holidays but fined in the term time.

Good on you for going OP
Having 3 weeks off isn't going to change their academic ability or outcomes 🙄
I think it's awful you're getting punished by the council for that, and even worse the punishment on this thread.
Personally I think some of the posters are maybe jealous of your lovely holiday 🤭 Probably some of them work in schools but that's their choice.

It says in your OP that you took a two week term time holiday in 2022 when your eldest child was already at school.

I'm sorry OP. My parents took me on a month long holiday in the US when I was a child, which meant missing 3 weeks of school. It was a one off occurence, which had absolutely no impact on my education (I graduated from a great university with a 2.1) and the memories have lasted me a life-time. It was one of the best holidays of my life. I think the other posters on here are just jelaous and/or bitter. I really understand your reasoning especially since it was to visit relatives. I hope it all goes well for you.

Sanctimonious fuckers ain't they, teachers? Like presumably almost everyone on this thread, clutching their cultured pearls! I suppose it is a bit awful of you op that they missed their actual A-level exams...oh no, hang on a minute, they're 6 😁 Earlier on this thread came the memorably sinister 'You need to align with shared state values'. Its why I've never left this site, it's honestly more disturbing than X when they get going, I love it!

I'm really sorry PP. It's totally disproportionate. Families wait very long month to access family courts when there maybe safeguarding issues. This delays often impacts children negatively.

But yes, let's take to court parents of children who are very unlikely to be affected by missing 3 weeks.

Ridiculous! The standard charge was more than enough to make their point.

No it isn't. There are three terms. Autumn term is 6 weeks, week off in October, another 6 weeks. So 3 weeks is a quarter of a term - or half a half.

Of course it's to do with funding! If schools weren't so overstretched a holiday every 3 years wouldn't apparently overwhelm the classroom.

But three weeks is half of one term, if said term is 6 weeks?