Stop Fining Parents for Term Time Holidays!
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Should we get rid of charging parents for term time holidays?
We had a leaflet home the other day reminding us it's a £60 fine per parent per child, which doubles to £120 per parent per child if it's not paid quickly.
No I don’t think schools should fine parents especially when so many children don’t attend by choice or truancy.
Pjran well what happens when a child is getting bullied to a point they refuse to go school? And the school do nothing about it ? I think there should be some leeway on the fines the truancy parents can take there kids to school make sure they go in and some just walk right back out I know that because I use to do it
I think they should be fined they know they should not take them, but £60.00 should be increased to at least £100 per child
Jackscot The huge problem here is the holiday companies shooting the prices up during school holidays. It can cost hundreds, or, thousands more which prices a lot of people out.
Right now if there are 2 parents, the fine is £120. But if you don't pay quickly, it doubles to £240.
No way. I’m sorry but I used to take my kids out of school for one week every year or we couldn’t afford to go on holiday - one week in a year when their attendance record was normally about 97% isnt too bad. I have had foster kids who have refused to go to school - you cant physically drag a teenager into school. You ask the school for help and be honest with them. Say that you have tried everything but physically dragging them into school- if you did physically drag them into school social services would be on your back in a heart beat for physical abuse.
There is more help available for a child that truants- you just have to push hard to get it.
Why would you want your children to miss education to save a few quid? Maybe families should find a holiday they can afford instead in the appropriate time
RnD194hd It's definitely not a few quid difference, it's hundreds and sometimes thousands.
RnD194hd really?? It's about giving kids a good life, the option isn't just to 'save a few quid', it's to give them an experience and a memory which many families may not be able to afford at the jacked up school holiday prices
I think a good compromise may be for all schools to shorten the summer holidays by a week, and have a random week during normal term time that families can go away. Each school should pick their own week so holiday companies can't adjust too much to it
SamGoodship then choose cheaper more affordable holidays, it's your choice how much you spend or overspend
I think it’s fair for kids to have a holiday each year and if the only time the parents can afford to do it is during term time than that’s their choice.
Obviously the parents have a responsibility to ensure the child catches up but as long as it’s only a week or two I can’t see the harm
No, parents should not be fined. Some of us don’t have the luxury of taking them on holidays in the school holidays as you say and know prices double and are unaffordable so children and parents miss out. Why should they miss out?
I thinks it’s a disgrace when people say the fines should increase putting more and more people in debt ? We are unable to afford the basic necessities now ?
So please think of others before you post 
No, parents should not be fined. People are struggling and finding it hard already with the cost of living as well as other bills debts extra. People can’t afford to take their kids during term time because greedy travel companies take advantage and double prices. Why should people be penalised ?
Please think before you post , yes parents should be fined and the fine should be doubled you are encouraging people into debt ?
It's not a right to have a lovely holiday abroad or have designer clothing because everybody else does. Teach kids your households momentary restrictions honestly. It's the law to send your kids to school in term time not when you choose. I think the fines should be much bigger than they are currently.
Auntielettie it's not law to send your children to school at all it's law that children should get a education
I don't think it's fair to fine parents for taking children out of school for a week during term time to have an affordable holiday. As people have already mentioned it's the only way some people can afford to go on holiday, and it's a lot worse these days with the cost of living crisis, than it was when my children were in school.
I took my 2 eldest out of school for 2 weeks to go to America. Schools frowned on anything over a week in those days, but we agreed with the school, that they would do a project whilst we were away, and on their return they would make presentations to their classes.
My youngest, I used to take out of school for 1 week every year during term time for a holiday. I always made sure it was never during important course work or revision for exams and SATS.
I always filled in a formal (request) form, so there was a record. It was never denied as such, a couple of times they weren't very keen to allow it, but my argument was and always has been, that the teachers aren't worried about the children missing out on their education when they go on strike! They don't think twice about it then.
I don’t think parents should be fined. My husband used to have statuary holidays that were in term time so to have a family holiday we had to go in term time. Thankfully there were no fines at that time. Their attendance was perfect apart from the holiday time taken.
We were fined unfortunately. Initially, the head teacher was absolutely fine with us taking off 2 weeks off school that tied in with 2 weeks of October half-term (totalling 4 weeks). Long story short, our trip was cancelled, we had to rebook and it ended up being a few days more, headteacher got annoyed and sent a letter to Education Welfare Officer!!!
This was our first family holiday in 4 years!!!!! We never go anywhere in the UK, not even at weekends. So we deserved this.
Always remember the headteacher needs to inform the Education Welfare Officer, it's best to speak to the head informing them of ALL reasons and sometimes they may be nice enough to understand and they won't inform the officer.
don’t agree that fines go to the local council when the school is an academy? The school should benefit from the fines
No I don’t think parents should be fined, it’s their child/children. Schools have to much say. Schools don’t care really, when the boot on the other foot when kids can’t go to school because the teachers are on strike that’s alright 
total hypocrisy
If the parents are going to be fined like this (and I agree they they should not) then I think the schools should also be fined for every day that they dont teach the child. Either strikes, training days, schools falling apart from lack on maintenance etc. As parents we were expected to make arrangements for child care which for us meant taking time off work often at very short notice. It works both ways
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