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!

I don’t have any specific examples but yes, it’s entirely possible.

We were fined because my ex took them on holiday for 2 weeks and they missed a week and one day of school the way the holiday fell.

Not prosecuted. Sorry if I’ve been unclear.

We'll have to agree to disagree over this one I think!!

She's talking about private schools.

we all know it’s fun to be mean on the internet and clutch our pearls but come on. This in no way merits a criminal record for the OP and her husband, nor is it in any way shape or form a sensible use of overstretched court resources. Issue a fine, a bit more hefty than the usual if that’s what the rules say, and move on.

I have an acquaintance who took her son out of Reception for 3 weeks. She was not fined because Reception apparently wasn't compulsory and her child had not reached 5 years of age (which is the compulsory age for education).

Oof, you don’t like being called out, do you?

I’m well are of the education systems in other countries in the UK having researched them thoroughly and then decided to move abroad in the end because the education system in England is so shit. 😉

That’s totally ridiculous . I have always taken mine out of school. Haven’t they got anything better to do? What about all
the kids who don’t go to school regularly. I am so sorry OP. You did your kids a favour by enabling them to travel and see the world. Shame on them. Probably another m way making scheme.

OP may not be poor, but these rules will disproportionately affect children from poorer families. Not sure how you can even dispute that.
You speak as though you know best, but basic logic seems to elude you.

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this, but if you have home insurance it might be worth checking to see if you have any legal cover.
My home insurance policy has a 24 hour legal helpline.

And the poorer families wont be taking their kids on family holidays abroad. The reasons for their absence will more down to poor parenting, truancy, and a general couldn’t give a damn attitude. Not quite the same thing. Those parents should absolutely be followed up on and action taken, they wouldn’t pay the fine either.

Three weeks is a lot and I’d feel terribly guilty doing this. Why didn’t you just holiday in summer holiday time?

Haven’t read the whole thread - but just wanted to offer some reassurance that you are very unlikely to get a criminal record that would show up on a dbs for a first offence. That route is for persistent absence when parental orders etc. have been disregarded.

Writing this as a long-time Headteacher and Ofsted inspector - so will keep my views on the fine and court processes firmly to myself (!)

Info from AI. I'd challenge the court action on the basis of no prior i fractions, but please seek legal advice.
@Questionairballoon

"While exact current prosecution numbers aren't available, a significant rise in penalty notices occurred in 2023-24, with nearly half a million issued for unauthorised school absences. Though prosecution is less common than fines, penalties can escalate to a fine of up to £2,500 or imprisonment for up to three months per parent per child if a child's regular attendance is not maintained for a justifiable reason.

The Process
Unauthorised Absence:
When a child has an unauthorised absence from school, schools or local authorities can issue a penalty notice to each parent or carer.

Escalation:
Repeated or persistent unauthorised absences can lead to a court case and potential prosecution.

Court Outcome:
If found guilty, a parent could face a fine of up to £2,500 or imprisonment for up to three months.

Key Factors
Official Data:
Recent data shows a substantial increase in penalty notices, but specific prosecution numbers from 2023-24 are not yet fully reported.

Enforcement:
The rise in enforcement is linked to pressure on schools to meet attendance targets, as well as tighter rules on term-time holidays.

Justifiable Reasons:
Prosecution typically occurs when a court finds that a parent knew their child was not attending school regularly without a justifiable reason.

You're very personal aren't you.
If you don't live here why are you so involved you are getting to this point.
You have an axe to grind. You really hate England's education system, you left. A lot of people love our values, free education. Really not fair on OP as she is not saying she hates the schools. Really be kind. Share practical advice but hate..move on.

What an appalling thing to suggest and an awful example for parents to set. Leaving children in a position where they have to keep up the lie to cover up and it will come out eventually. Terrible parenting

If attendance is below 90%, it becomes a local authority issue. There are 39 weeks in a school year, so 4 weeks of absence - including if they are ill but the school is not informed - triggers the LA. Going to court sounds very serious but it is your opportunity to explain and the fine will be proportionate. All school reports include attendance, so you can show they have generally been good. However, you will not get far with a judge if you say they don't do any work in July, and I asked the teacher for stuff I could do with them. Firstly, it is usually only the last few days when there are less structured lessons and secondly, why should a teacher print out 20 days of learning for two children to give to a parent who may well not do anything with them or will certainly not have the curriculum knowledge to deliver the learning effectively? This is on you.

Did you really just suggest that there should be a harder crackdown on poor families who are already disadvantaged than on middle class families who take their children out of school to get cheaper air fares to the US?

parents might not get fined at all private school, I don’t know.

But skipping school is so frowned upon that it doesn’t happen.

Before someone comes on and says ‘educational holidays’ are allowed in their private school, I know that the top tier London schools won’t allow even a day of absence. Definitely not for ‘visiting relatives’

Since when is criminalisming holidays "our values"?

What, that they can get prosecuted or they have been?

Course it's a money making thing! Don't remember the teaching unions thinking teaching was all that important about 5 years ago! 🤣

Yep, you can be fined or prosecuted as a private school parent.

No I’m suggesting that the poorer families who care won’t be taking their kids on holidays abroad because they can’t afford it. The poorer families whose kids miss time at school will be because they just don’t give a damn and need to be cracked down on but probably wouldn’t care less anyway about any intervention from LA.

You've never actually been fined before... So you have taken them away from school before but you managed to get away with it. I don't see why you think that makes it ok to take them out of school again.