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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

£1,000 per parent per child fines for absence to be trialled

24 replies

mummymeister · 21/01/2019 17:38

Just came across this article. Lancashire County council to trial fines of £1,000 per parent per child for unauthorised absences.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/parents-to-be-fined-%c2%a31000-for-taking-children-on-holiday-during-term-time/ar-BBSuKFY?ocid=ientp

Shocking decision for those of us who don't have kids in private school, have fixed holidays, cant go in holidays due to work or cant afford school holiday prices.

OP posts:

dietcokemegafan · 26/02/2019 11:52

Good. Foreign holidays aren't a right. Fines should be more than the saving on a holiday. Hugely disruptive for teachers when kids are out of school for holidays.

flamingofridays · 26/02/2019 11:57

www.lancashireconservatives.co.uk/news/lancashire-county-councils-position-regarding-school-absence-and-fines

its a load of bollocks, and good! nobody should be fined at all imo.

mastertomsmum · 26/02/2019 12:02

The whole thing of taking a child out of school for a holiday is really not on. Growing up in the 60s and 70s no one did this.

Yes, holiday prices are higher in peak season of school hols. Perhaps there could be laws to cap the pricing structure on packages, flights etc.

But, it the mentality that I don't understand. If we all took unauthorised time off work we'd be sacked. Why do people think taking your child out of school should come with no penalty? It's not different. When you chose your school you probably wanted a good or outstanding Ofsted, do you think it is ok to make a school look bad just to save some money??

Magmatic80 · 26/02/2019 12:07

Good. Why is a holiday more important than education.

MyDcAreMarvel · 26/02/2019 12:09

That is completely false and old fake news at that!

Sunhill4 · 26/02/2019 12:13

I have a totally different angle on this and not as lighthearted or frivolous as holidays. Years ago when my son was a (much larger than me) teenager, i couldn't physically get him into school. Where is the fairness in then fining me a hefty amount? My life was, in all honesty a living hell back then as it was. Thank god he grew up to be a charming and wonderful young man.

gemmaxyz · 26/02/2019 12:19

Growing up in the 60s and 70s no one did this.

But when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s it was common. Mostly it was families with relatives on other continents, and occasionally other long haul holidays like Florida (which must have been to save money or because one parent couldn't get time off at the right time). I think about a third of my form must have done it at least once, though usually it was the same 2 or 3 families. I felt a bit left out because we never did.

bobstersmum · 26/02/2019 12:25

The problem is that the travel companies are allowed to hike the prices up. Can you imagine going to the supermarket and your shopping cost twice as much because it was the holidays? It wouldnt me allowed would it! So why is it different for travel?

WeaselsRising · 26/02/2019 12:28

Actually in the 60s and 70s we were taken out of school to go to Butlins several times. I did the same with my kids in the 90s. I wasn't allowed time off from work in the summer as it was done on seniority. It isn't always about it being cheaper.

RomanyQueen1 · 26/02/2019 12:28

This is old fake news and Lancashire county council have made a statement saying its rumours, about 2 months ago

Hotterthanahotthing · 26/02/2019 12:30

I think it should be per child not parent.Imagine being landed with that bill if one feckless parent took their child out of school if they shared care.

Barbarafromblackpool · 26/02/2019 12:34

If that's true, then it's shit. It's really not that disruptive if children miss school. Much better to have a family holiday.

Yogagirl123 · 26/02/2019 12:47

I remember reading that article a while back.

I can quite imagine fines being increased, as the current level is not a deterrent as it's cheaper to take the fine, than to travel in school hols.

Mine leave education this year, looking forward to booking a regular priced holiday.

Travel agents won’t ever change the pricing as they say it’s a case of supply & demand. Been the same for years.

It’s very hard for families to be able to afford a holiday anywhere in the school hols.

Morgan12 · 26/02/2019 12:49

Yeah not true. I'm not sure what I think about this tbh. Holiday prices during school holidays are ridiculous. Next year I plan on taking my child out three days before the summer hols as the holiday is £800 cheaper than the following week.

dietcokemegafan · 26/02/2019 13:16

@bobstersmum I think you'll find that many travel companies make a loss for most of the year and if they couldn't make a profit in school holidays they would go bust.

flamingofridays · 26/02/2019 13:18

But, it the mentality that I don't understand. If we all took unauthorised time off work we'd be sacked. Why do people think taking your child out of school should come with no penalty?

because work is entirely different than school.

do people really think a childs education is negatively affected by missing say 1 week of school per year? I don't. not at all.

Aquilla · 26/02/2019 13:27

'why do people think taking your child out of school should come with no penalty?'

Er, because we don't live in the socialist police state of your dreams (yet)?

mastertomsmum · 26/02/2019 14:23

I'm not being unreasonable. I just don't have the worldview that time off school for leisure is a concept. Skiving off work would get you in trouble, a child skiving off school would get them in trouble. A parent organising time off in term time isn't great is it??

SilveryMountainStream · 26/02/2019 14:32

And what about children who's parents work in jobs where holiday time is their busy time and staff are not allowed to take leave?

Should those children be penalised by never having an opportunity to go on holiday with their parents?

And no, a weekend doesn't count, because generally speaking you are limited as to where/what you can do in such a short period of time.

Personally I think it needs to go back to the old system of at the headteacher's discretion.

Soubriquet · 26/02/2019 14:37

I really don’t see the problem with holidays in term times

Not every parent can get time off work during school holidays. They can only do it during time term.

What are they supposed to do?

Never take their child on holiday?

No holidays aren’t a “right” but children get family time, downtime and experience a whole new culture if they abroad.

If parents use their common sense and not go during exam years or willingly help their children catch up at home, why can’t they take their kids out of school?

flamingofridays · 26/02/2019 14:38

its not skiving if you've told school your child wont be in on that day. I don't see the issue with it.

Looneytune253 · 26/02/2019 20:41

Lol no but the supermarkets might have special offers on to encourage people to buy stuff that they don’t usually or to buy stuff cheaper out of season. That’s exactly what the holiday companies do. They reduce their prices to encourage people to travel off peak. If prices were the same all year round no one would go during term time at all as there’s no incentive there.

Honestly. My opinion is if you can’t afford a holiday, don’t go! Live within your means. If that’s a U.K. holiday then so be it!!

slipperywhensparticus · 26/02/2019 20:44

UK holidays cost less in term time too

Soubriquet · 27/02/2019 07:39

Live within your means. If that’s a U.K. holiday then so be it!!

One week in butlins out of school term was nearly £800

In school term it came to £300

What do you think people are going to pick?

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