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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask about term time fines

31 replies

romantasylife · 04/01/2026 18:51

DS is in year 1, attendance has been 100% since he started year R (we have been very lucky!). We have been offered the opportunity for an all expenses paid holiday by a family member (again lucky!) however they have booked it for term time!

I know mumsnet is not a fan of a term time holiday but I have a couple of queries. For reference have no intention of lying to school and will fill in the holiday form so no sneaking off!

I understand that the absence will go down as unauthorised and that we can be fined £80 per parent for the 5 days.

However this trip would be 2 weeks, therefore does this count as two strikes e.g not a first offence if we do 2 weeks in a row or is this still the £80 fine?

If DS is then ill in the next 3 years does that mean we will get fined again and therefore count as a final warning?

It's a minefield and whilst I get why it is important I do feel that in year 1 we are ok to go, for reference he is on track for where he needs to be and it would be the 2 weeks before the summer hols so winding down anyway!

OP posts:
SoapyDrama · 04/01/2026 21:37

Cat1504 · 04/01/2026 20:48

Ever known anyone in my town fined….my Dd took her DDs age 6 and 9 at the time ….out of school for 7 weeks ( although Xmas feel in the middle of that)….head teacher just said…have a lovely time….no one mentioned fines …that’s was last xmas

Is there a public record you can check by area, how do you find out about fines for a whole town?

PineappleMelon · 04/01/2026 21:44

There was a post on here about someone who got taken to court for this no?

Cat1504 · 04/01/2026 22:14

SoapyDrama · 04/01/2026 21:37

Is there a public record you can check by area, how do you find out about fines for a whole town?

i don’t know ….you tell me ….I said I ( as in me) have never known anybody from my town….and I know lots of people …..are you asking cos you want to know? …..or just being a smart arse? …..genuine question

SoapyDrama · 04/01/2026 22:50

Cat1504 · 04/01/2026 22:14

i don’t know ….you tell me ….I said I ( as in me) have never known anybody from my town….and I know lots of people …..are you asking cos you want to know? …..or just being a smart arse? …..genuine question

I thought you meant that you were able to check somewhere, no one that I know has ever told me that they've been fined but that doesn't really mean anything as they might not want to admit it.

I know you can get numbers for the whole country, I just looked it up and it was nearly 1/2 a million fines in England in 23/24 so you'd think there must be some in every area

Tiswa · 04/01/2026 22:53

HollyIvie · 04/01/2026 19:22

Can you ring your local council education dept about the specific time off you require to get their exact guidance? Think It’s important to get all the correct facts for your area as I have heard such varying guidance/experiences in different locations. I also have a very vague recollection of a poster on here having three weeks off for their child and it going straight to court - however there may have also been sickness involved. Personally I wouldn’t take my children out for that long.

This check out your local council policies as much as anything and what the attendance policies are at your school as well

Louisew700 · 10/04/2026 11:14

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