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!

It's also worth considering that somebody so aggrieved at the Law being applied correctly may not be best suited to social work where families say that of course, they couldn't afford to go on holiday outside school terms because it's so expensive - particularly if those families happen to be more 'respectable' than the stereotypical service users other posters have in mind.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you @Questionairballoon and I think you are getting a ridiculously hard time on here!!!

I don't know much about 'the rules' these days, (my DC are in their early 30s now) but I can only advise you to hold your hands up, admit you're at fault, and say you're really sorry and it will never happen again. It's not like you have kept your children off for half the bloody academic year is it?! Yeah, keeping your children off school for 3 weeks off in a row for a holiday, (with no permission from the school to do so) is not great, but it doesn't deserve for you (and your DH) to have a criminal record - IMHO. It's ridiculous IMO to land you with a criminal record for this!

Me and DH kept our 2 DC off for a full month - the last week of June, and the first 3 weeks of July when they were 7 and 8, (around 24-25 years ago,) to take them on a trip to Canada, and America, to see family members who they had not seen for 5-6 years (and didn't remember, although the family members remembered them.) We also spent a week in Cuba.

However, we asked the school if this would be OK, and sent in a written request, and the school wrote back and said 'yes, just this once,' as it would be a really exciting and educational and cultural experience for them. We weren't sitting on a beach in Corfu for a month, we visited 3 different countries, and our DC experienced all sorts of sights and cultures and people.

This was nearly 25 years ago though, and it may not be allowed now. I know just 5-6 years later, the schools got much more strict, so I'm glad we did it when we did. They weren't given any academic work to do either. (Last week in June, and first 3 weeks of July the academic year was winding down, and not a lot was being done, so they didn't really miss much, and they've always been quite forward/advanced academcially, so the month off made no difference to anything.)

I hope it's all OK, and that you don't get a criminal record. I think you should see a solicitor and ask if the 'charge' can be reduced, if you admit you're wrong and it will never happen again, and hopefully it will just be a fine.

Good luck!

The charge hasn't been applied yet. She's not actually entered any paperwork into court.
Though has submitted why as a teacher and social worker she thinks it's ok.

Were you recently dumped or something? xxx

It does seem bonkers that this is a criminal offence. I could take my DC out of school permanently and home educate them, yet taking them out for three weeks is a crime?

I was really disappointed that Labour chose to crack down on parents rather than the profiteering holiday companies. So much for being the party of working people! Our school never used to fine parents, but informed us at the start of the year that they would be forced to do so from now on, and that they wouldn't receive any of the money themselves.

I feel for you OP, the UK (or just England and Wales, not sure if the whole UK is like this) is a bit insane over this. In my country you can take your children out of school for holidays without any fuss, you just have to make sure they don't fall behind. My DD missed 4 weeks of school last year due to illness, and this is upper school which means she missed a lot more than your young children did, and instead of fining me or giving me a criminal record the school tried to help DD not miss so much, with healthcare and counselling. And I made sure she didn't fall behind. just like it sounds like you are doing.

But I dont think it is that easy and teachers have enough to do without being responsible for this too. Just think of the pressure some parents could exert. The problem is that if you make a rule or a law and then expect people can ignore it if they want to, where does it stop? Is it only the law for people who dont have the wherewithal to challenge it? That doesnt sound fair.

The new guidelines came into effect in August 2024 and were very much the work of the Conservative government as they were first published in 2022.

I happen to think this is outrageous. I would plead not guilty, get your evidence hat on, and tell them to GF!

She won’t be thrown in gaol, but yes the female estate is very over crowded. Everyone knows this.

Also some of these responses are sanctimonious rubbish. Ignore.

What evidence? Her kids had 3 weeks unauthorised absence. There’s not much else to it.

Substance over form. This is, or should be about children's best interests.

Absolutely travel and see family when young, before GCSEs etc.

A mum with a criminal record or large fine.

Which one is in the child's best interest.

Certainly not the second. Eyeroll.

And apparently a former teacher does not understand the impact on a child of missing three weeks of school - as well as the consequences for a parent - what nonsense

And the worry, anxiety over this. Disgraceful. Not to mention the cost to the taxpayer. Absolute disgrace.

Erm….the poster was suggesting that the teachers give or deny permission for holidays (“I really think schools should have the discretion to decide what is OK or not”) Hence my comment

I don’t actually think a criminal record in this case is justified.

But, there isn’t any evidence op can supply - it happened, it was unauthorised and op knew it would be. She made a very silly mistake by taking her kids out of school for 3 weeks and now has to face up to the court.

My mistake, it was the start of last year that the school wrote to us. I'm not defending the Tories as I find them reprehensible, but even if this policy was their plan, why hasn't Labour scrapped it by now? And while we're at it, why don't Labour overhaul Ofsted instead of tinkering around the edges?

How does that work. She will get full weight of law.
It wasn't me. Nope, not my child.
No plead guilty with a letter for consideration.
That is just ridiculous.
So if you get pulled over for speeding - say I didn't do it. What are you teaching your children.
You might not agree with every law but trying to argue it shouldn't apply to you. There are children at the heart of this. Parents need to make it the least stressful for them. Goodness, I fear OP is telling other parents and it's all getting ridiculous on here at school. This is one Mum's understandable anxiety about a legal process and people are saying f* the law & don't put up with it to her. Same OP wants to train to be a SW where it will be her job to enforce this against other parents.
Be rational people
At least give her logical advice.

Guidelines state they can take straight to court. Since aug 2024 people need to read these!! I take mine out a couple of days a year never 3 weeks at a time. You could of gone a week at the end and still saved money!

Its harsh and I dont agree but these are the rules and guidance many people just aren't aware.

There is a good Facebook group for advice but you aren't likely to be let off I dont think

Right but schools/teachers are responsible for this. Currently the law isn't universally enforced and the punishment isn't always the same.

If we want it to be a blanket law, OP shouldn't have any questions becuase it should be black and white. But it's not black and white because it doesn't apply to everyone and not everyone ends up with the same punishment.

We either accept that there is nuance and make space for parental judgement or we remove every scrap of discretion and have clearly defined punishments linked directly to registers.

What you’ve described IS policing it. It’s asking teachers to watch and make judgements

Extra tutoring
Time with great grandmother / family
Language learning
Broadening horizons
Children are otherwise well fed, good emotional health, attending school, no other issues

Silly mistake or excellent decision that will have benefitted the children in a whole myriad of ways: the recent rise in state control over parents making decisions re welfare of their children in regards to holidays is total and utter garbage.

What a load of crap. There's absolutely no indication that this will result in a recordable criminal record.

@Questionairballoon, you're best off consulting an actual solicitor for advice on your options, this is not the place to get anything but bluster.

I presume she’s staying with the family she’s visiting though? So it’s only the flights she has to fund.