Unauthorised school leave fine

[karaline]

really not sure if i'm posting in the right thread but here goes.
i've just received a fine from the LEA. my kids went to Vietman with their father for 3 weeks, they missed almost two weeks of school.

This year there has been a mix up where the term dates on the LA website have contradicted the actual term dates in individual schools, but also my children's father lives in France, they went 5 five months without seeing him recently.

the school didn't authorise the leave, but I felt I couldn't say no to the holiday of a lifetime, the opportunity for them to spend time with their dad and I'm scared to say no to him, he can be aggressive.

he doesn't support me financially in anyway, i mean he doens't even give them pocket money, or pay their phone bills, or have their hair cut during the indiscriminate time they spend with him, or buy them new trainers.

For Christmas he took them to the theatre. he didn't buy them birthday presents, he takes them places instead.

I am going to tell him about the fine but I think its highly unlikely, given his track record he is going to reimburse me. It's due to double in about a week. If i let it go to court I might be fined a further £2500

Today after four days of ringing them I finally got through to the attendence team. the woman I spoke to was sympathetic but unhelpful. I have parental responsibilty. I let them go on the holiday so I have to pay. I explained that he can be aggressive towards me and that I am afraid to say no to him. She said she hopes i am not put in this position again, but she was adamant there was nothing more she could do.

The fine amounts to two days of my wages, I was so upset after I spoke to her I burst into tears on a crowded platform. is there anything I can do to appeal this desicion? I am scared not to pay it, I don't want it to double. surely I'm not the only person in this situation?

thanks in advance

I don't think you have any grounds to appeal. The rules are clear and you must have known you would be fined when you agreed to let them go.

I'm not knowledgeable, but I would be inclined to work with the LA. Ask them if you could pay in instalments, explaining that you didn't take them away but understand you have PR.
Write a lawyers letter to the children's father asking him to pay and including the LA fining policy for future reference.
- horrible thing to have to go through.

Hang on, he's unpredictable and aggressive to the point you don't feel able to say no to him for fear or reprisals, but you've happily packed your kids off with him alone, to a strange land for 3 weeks
Really ?
And yes holiday of a lifetime or not you have to pay the fine unless you can prove they missed no work like I did

I agree with gin The problem is not with the school, but with the dc's dad.

Next time, tell him he can't take them out of school. As for this time, I think you're just going to have to suck it up and pay the fine. Asking to pay in instalments is a good idea.

is there anything I can do to appeal this desicion?

You really have no grounds for appeal. You were told that this would be unauthorised, but you decided to let them go anyway. There are 175 days in the calendar year when you can take your children on holiday, so plenty of opportunity.

As said above, the problem is with your DC's dad.

*the bigger problem

I am sorry, but you are responsible. The only let out may be the date confusion on the website, if it covered the whole time away and if the holiday was booked during the time that you thought was a holiday.

I think you need to pay it, and then ask the dad for it. he may not give it to you, but next time you can say that it cost you a fine last time and that would give you some grounds for saying no.

Yes, he's unpredictable and aggressive to the point I don't feel able to say no to him for fear or reprisals, my kids have a different relationship with him and I'd appreciate if you didn't insinuate that I am a reckless and irresponsible parent ginflumpsandzebraprint, simply because I resent shelling out £120 for a holiday I didn't even get to fucking go on. Of course I wouldn't let my children go off into a situation I didn't feel they were safe in.

To the rest of you, thank you for your advice its been very useful. I've paid the fine in full and sent him a photo of the letter. Hopefully he''ll cough up, I doubt it though.