School absence fine?

[indianabones2021]

So just had a letter from the school saying 2 weeks absence will not be approved and if we decide to go ahead we'll be referred to the Local Education Authority, Birmingham, where we may be issued a Penalty Notice or have legal action taken.

We have 2 kids (9 and 7) - would be first absence of this type for both.

Questions:

• I am pretty sure we'll be fined, but what would it be? £80 per parent - per child for the whole absence period (2 weeks) or per day?
• What is this legal action they mention?
• What are the chances of this "legal action"?

Thank you.

I got fined for 2 weeks. My husband didn’t get any fine 🤷🏼‍♀️ In Essex.

It's per absence not per week

No it doesn't.

10 sessions is five days- morning and afternoon.

Top information says
Fines issued for five or more consecutive days

Or they can fine you if more than 10 sessions in 10days.

So only one fine or £80 per parent per child for a 2 week holiday.

But not when it's a school trip.

Ours does a week's skiing for £2k per child.

Apparently sending child on that isn't disruptive but me taking the kid out of school for the same week is.
(And paying less than 2k for four of us)

It’s per child per absence so will be one fine for each child for the 2 weeks per parent (if one parent is separated and lets school know hey don’t agree with holiday in writing etc they are unlikely to be fined)

the legal action is likely to be for 3 or more absences unauthorised (term time
holidays etc) in a 3 year period

Then it says

Fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action like a parenting order or prosecution will be considered

it’s not guaranteed legal stuff - schools should work with parents first before going down that route.

I didn't say anything about ASAP. We picked December as it was the least disruptive time for everyone.

Yes it's cheaper and not just cheaper - WAY WAY WAY cheaper, even with all the heavy fines we are talking over £2000, probably closer to £3000 cheaper.

God has blessed your husband. Does he have any ideas on the lottery number.

Seriously though, that would imply the fine you received was:

£360 = £60 x 3 (kids) x 2 (weeks) Is this correct?

I literally just had this conversation with my spouse. I am willing to pay the fines if it's just that and go ahead with the trip. Other half wants to reschedule the trip because "legal action - I don't want us to get a criminal record".

There's always one.

Wow im pleased i dont have children.
Id never afford it.

Don’t overthink it…..It’s just a fine…..go on holiday….then pay it as soon as you receive it…..all done
lots of nice memories for your kids

Those charts are really unclear, to me it looks like you could take four days and get no fine! I used to advise on this to schools 😂😂 I'm going to look it up. (Not in that job anymore you'll be pleased to know, but I did understand it!)

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/19/fines-for-parents-for-taking-children-out-of-school-what-you-need-to-know/

Oh ok so it's an add on really - still up to LAs but at ten sessions/one week they have to consider a fine. And a change to mean there's a limit to fines before stepping up.

I'm now confused again. I thought I was getting to the fine amount, but seems like I'm back to where I was a few posts ago.

2 weeks (10 days) absence for 2 kids with 2 parents. If paid on time, wouldn't this be a total of £320 or am I wrong?

Sorry, ignore me I thought from the charts that they had changed the whole framework so that it was the only route to fining and was overly generous. I was talking to myself.
Looks like the fine is as you thought.

Genuine question, not goady. Are these fines even a deterrent? Is there evidence that they actually reduce absence? The real problems behind absence are mental health in children and chronic truancy surely, and fines don't work for that.

And second, why do parents in England put up with this? It's massive state overreach and undermining of parental authority.

We live in Canada and fines would never fly here. I am not a parent who takes their children out routinely, but I have done for the odd short trip to see family across the country, and I'm grateful that it isn't a battle with the school. It seems so stressful in England!

Or just own your choice to take holiday in term time and don’t bring your children up to be lying little scrotes?

Tbf ….up until last month it wasn’t an issue for most parents ….at my GDs school, they have been on holiday in term time every year for the last 4 years and there have been no fines mentioned…..a fair few kids missed last week ( first week back) and no one has as yet been issued with any fine….moving forward will just have to see

OP has a perfectly reasonable reason for doing this. I think it's unfair anyone has to battle the school for kids to see their granny!

Yes that’s what we paid. Half what we expected, so we were happy with that. Only done it once and it didn’t have any impact on their education. Once in a lifetime trip.

10 or more sessions in ten weeks could lead to prosecution. Your children will be missing 20 sessions.

My DD went on a school ski-ing trip , it was during the Feb Half Term so no missing school time

Yes that’s how I read it too from @Ineedaholidayyyy screenshot but the other message just says a fine, so I’m not sure?

This. The most they're allowed to miss would be a morning or afternoon session to facilitate travel. They're not allowed to do these trips in school time now at state schools (if they ever did!).

@Ineedaholidayyyy information suggests prosecution, although the other just says fine.