Holiday costs are soaring – and so is support for scrapping school absence fines. With 181,000 signatures and counting, a petition is pushing Parliament to rethink penalties for term-time getaways. What do you think?
A petition calling for the end of school absence penalty charges is gaining serious momentum – with MPs set to debate the issue in Parliament.
We all know it can be astronomically more expensive to get away out of term-time, so we’re asking if you think the fines should be scrapped to give parents more flexibility – take our poll below.
The growing campaign, sparked by figures from Fight School Fines, reveals the financial pressure families face when trying to book a holiday. On average, package holiday prices soar by 18 per cent during school breaks, with some destinations seeing hikes of up to a whopping 28 per cent per person.
For many families, sticking to the official school calendar means the cost of a break can double – or even triple. So is it any wonder so many of us are drawn towards taking our children out of school to save some pennies?
Now having racked up a sizeable 181,000 signatures, the petition reads: “We’re seeking reform to the punitive policy for term time leave that disproportionately impacts families that are already under immense pressure and criminalises parents that we think are making choices in the best interests of their families. No family should face criminal convictions.”
Should fines for taking kids on holiday during term time be scrapped? Take our poll below, and if you can’t see it, click here
“However, the school year is structured in such a way as to provide plenty of time throughout the year for holidays outside of term-time, and schools also have considerable flexibility to plan term dates themselves, and hold inset days and other occasional days at less busy times of the year.”
When can you take your child out of school?
Children in England are legally required to attend school from the term after their fifth birthday until the last Friday in June of the school year they turn 16. If your child misses school – even for just one day -you’ll usually be contacted by the school. However, children under five who are in reception aren’t legally required to attend, so absences at that age aren’t considered unlawful.
Children can also miss school if they’re unwell or if parents have secured permission from the school in advance. Headteachers at state schools can authorise term-time absences, but only in “exceptional circumstances.”
Circumstances can include visiting a seriously ill family member, attending a close family member’s funeral, or if a family member in the Armed Forces is returning from operations. Children can also be absent from school if they have a medical appointment or when they are absent for religious observance.
Fines
Under national guidelines, schools must consider issuing a fine when a child misses ten or more sessions (equivalent to five school days) without authorisation. Local councils can issue a fine of £80, which doubles to £160 if not paid within 21 days.
From the 2024–25 school year, parents can only receive up to two fines per child within a three-year period. The second fine will be £160. If it isn’t paid within 28 days, parents could face prosecution. If a child has three or more unauthorised absences in that time, no further fines will be issued—but the case may still go to court.
Government data shows that in the 2023/24 school year, councils handed out 443,322 fines specifically for unauthorised holidays – out of a total of 487,344 penalty notices. That’s a 22 per cent increase from the previous year’s 398,800 fines.
If you get a second fine in three years, it will be £160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days, you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school. If your child is off school three or more times within the three years without reason, you will not be fined but may be taken to court.
What do you think? Should fines for taking kids on holiday during term-time be scrapped? Take our poll above then expand on your feelings in the comments below.