Term-time holidays to be banned, with fines.....

[LilyBolero]

Discuss

Well the fine plus the holiday could mean it will be cheaper to go in August anyway.

Agree with getorf and others

I would go and pay the fine.

Indeed, the fine will likely mean it's still cheaper to take the holiday in term time. Gove is just looking for a new revenue stream.

ed Yep.

How much would the fine be? I would be tempted to do the holiday in term and take the fine on the chin. It still wouldn't be as expensive as a term time holiday. We work all summer and cannot go on holiday then. I obviously wouldn't do if the child was about to take exams or was an important school year, but I know full well that missing two weeks of class in a state school with 32 kids in the class will not adversely affect my child's education.

I say this as a former teacher.

Its just mad.

We treated ourselves and kids last year to a holiday abroad (first since having dc so for 8 years) It cost £2.5 k which is a LOT I know. We went in term time (long story but holiday booked at half term was cancelled by travel company) but if we went there in the summer hols ^the same holiday" would cost £5k.

We dont do term time holidays, but I can understand why people do.
The only people that will benefit from this is holiday companies.

Ariel Exactly! I dont think any parent would be booking a week in Benidorm in their childs exam year!!!

Meant "school holiday time holiday"

And if I may sound arrogant for a moment, I know that two weeks with me will be more educational than doing a lot of the stuff they do in class.

Voidka - now Gove has thought up a way for the government to benefit too! Clever guy.

Becaroo - flippin' 'eck! That's going to have to be a hellish fine before it's more expensive to go in term time!

Oh yes I forgot that bit Clothes. I wonder if Gove will get around to writing some legislation that allows us to leave our 12 year-olds at home without us risking prosecution if they burn the house down.

Does Gove even know that a lot of 12 year olds finish their state school day at 2.30pm? Does he think they all get home at 6pm?

Btw, those saying that they would pay the fines - surely that would mean admitting you have committed an offence. (A bit like accepting a caution or a FPN does.)

I think it comes under civil law, not criminal law, so not equivalent to a caution which is only used for criminal code of law.

I've always said that I'd pay the fine if it came to it ,which for 4 kids has been £400, not a lot when flights alone (this is offpeak you understand) can cost us close to 2k. BUT, they are talking about "steep" rise in the fines which suggests... I dunno? £200 each (100% increase)? And £800 would make me think hard.

Meh.

I doubt it will stop parents going on holiday in term time if they really want to. They'll just lie and send in a sick note.

Well that's what I would do anyway.

The figures being discussed at one earlier point were

a)£1000 per offence i.e. per child per period of unauthorised absence - so a week before and a week after October half term for instance £2000 per child.... or
b)£100 per day per child.

Seriously?

There is no way I can afford a holiday in the school holidays, and if this came into force I would call DS in sick. At the moment I risk the possible fine (think it's £50 or 100 in my area, not sure) as I only have one child, and it is still way way cheaper than an impossible for me to afford, school holiday time break. Thankfully the head at his school is currently understanding and grants it (I think head looks at child's attendance rate when making a decision).

Longer school days would break my DS, he has autism and already comes home from school exhausted.

Makes not a lot of difference to me personally, as I am a teacher so can't take holidays in term time anyway.

I do think the holiday companies need to take some of the blame though, as a lot of posters here have said the reason they go in term time is because it is so much cheaper.

I agree that education will not be adversely affected by missing a week. Especially as the expectation seems to be that the teacher will run around arranging work for the missing child, or giving up their spare time when the child returns from holiday to catch them up on what they have missed.

Taking DS out of school for 2 weeks after Easter, fine me if you like! If you can get the money out of me i'll still have probably saved more than going during the holidays.

Look at people's fines.... It's a trip to magistrates court, the fine and costs too. And usually a conditional discharge.

Fines up to £2-300...

And details of your crime in the locall paper for all to see...

It's not enforced by your school. You have to go to court