Scott Allerton took his wife and three children on a week’s holiday to Turkey a week before the May half-term. His two eldest children attend St Wilfrid’s Catholic Academy and his youngest child goes to St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy
A family is livid with two schools after being slapped with a £360 fine for taking their children on a term-time holiday, despite a huge chunk of Brits saying they’d do the same.
Scott Allerton, his wife, and their three kids flew off to Turkey a week before the May half-term. As well as hoping to save some cash while the prices were a little cheaper, the dad wanted to head someone a little quieter. His 12-year-old son Oliver has autism and copes better in calmer environments.
The family came home from the sunny break to a fine of £60 per parent for each child, imposed by both St Wilfrid’s Catholic and St Margaret Ward Catholic academies in Tunstall, Staffordshire.
Scott, 47, from Tunstall, said: “We needed to reconnect, we needed to bring the family together. So we approached the school and said look we’re taking the children out of school for this week before the actual school holidays and we didn’t get a response.
“So we had the holiday just to try to reconnect when it wasn’t too busy because Oliver doesn’t deal with crowds too well. So it’s the first time we’ve done it and taken them out of school and prior to this their attendance was excellent.
“We haven’t got the money to pay the fine. My wife is really, really upset about how we are going to pay this and no-one wants to listen to us and put our case forward. Yes, we’ll pay the fine but we’re so reluctant to do it because I just feel we have circumstances, we’ve not taken him out of school because we thought it was cheaper. It was the fact that Oliver needs the time where it’s not too busy.”
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has informed Scott that only a headteacher can overturn the fines, reports Stoke on Trent Live. Scott added: “What annoys me most is we have teacher training days and teacher strikes. Do I send them a letter fining them because education to my son is important.
Newman Catholic Collegiate runs St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy and St Wilfrid’s Catholic Academy. The two schools have not provided statements regarding Scott’s case to StokeonTrentLive. However, the academy has sent a letter to Scott which reads: “Regarding the holiday, our policy is unequivocal: we do not authorise holidays during term time.
“This policy was communicated to all parents at the beginning of the academic year to ensure consistent application. I note that your holiday dates included the May half-term. Research indicates that taking children out of school for holidays can negatively affect their mental health and academic attainment. Therefore, it is important for us to uphold this policy uniformly. Undermining the school’s enforcement of this policy would be inappropriate, and both schools have consistently supported the collegiate position, ensuring that fines are issued accordingly.”
According to research by www.hotukdeals.com, a poll of 2,022 UK adults found that 40% are willing to take their kids out of school during term time because it is cheaper.
Vix Leyton, consumer money expert at hotukdeals, said: “Family holidays and taking your child abroad for the first time are key milestones, with the memories made lasting a lifetime. Unfortunately, British parents are feeling completely priced out and are resorting to breaking school rules to be able to afford it.
“Our data reveal a significant concern among Brits, with over 50% believing that holiday costs are currently out of control. Inflation and the cost-of-living crisis coupled with demand in peak times means it can actually work out cheaper going abroad than staying in the UK providing you go on the edge of term time.
“With this in mind, more than 40% of parents surveyed are considering taking their children out of school and paying the fixed penalty fine rather than facing the inflated prices of school holiday getaways.
The poll also found the towns and cities where parents are the most and least likely to pay the fine and take their kids on holiday during term time:
Most likely
- London: 48.7%
- Leeds: 48.4%
- Liverpool: 45.6%
- Birmingham: 45.5%
- Glasgow: 41.8%
- Nottingham: 39.8%
- Oxford: 39.8%
Least likely
- Belfast: 29%
- Bristol: 32.1%
- Cardiff: 32.1%
- Plymouth: 32.1%
- Stoke on Trent: 33.3%
- Cambridge: 33.7%
- Norwich: 33.9%
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