Over the last few years there has been lots of confusion about what exactly parents are allowed to do when it comes to taking their children out of school for holidays in term time. Government policy has been to only give approval for a child to miss school in exceptional circumstances, and taking a family holiday is not considered exceptional. Some Local Authorities issue fines to parents who take children out of school, but a recent court ruling seems to have thrown the legality of fining parents into doubt. So what is the situation regarding term time holidays?

Legal Situation

According to government figures, just over 150,000 fines were issued to parents during the school year 2014-15 for taking their children out of school. The fines are levied at a rate of £60 per child, per parent. So two parents taking two children out of school for a holiday, could be sent a bill for £240. If this is not paid within 21 days, the charges double to £480. Several parents have successfully taken their Local Authorities to court over the fines, and some have won their cases and have had their fines cancelled. However, the Government remains determined to stick to the policy of fining parents who remove their children from school, and unless there is a change in the law, fining of parents may continue. Fines only apply to children in state schools in England – there are no fines handed out for children who attend independent schools, and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have different methods for dealing with children who miss school during term time.

Is It Worth Paying the Fine?

On a purely financial level, it can still be cheaper to take the children on holiday during term time and pay a fine than it is to book a holiday during the school holidays. Parents have to make their own decisions about the benefits of a family holiday compared with the risks of missing some school. Many schools refuse to issue additional homework or books to be completed for children who have missed school, so catching up may be difficult depending on the length of the holiday and what stage the children are in their education. Parents have to consider all of these aspects before deciding whether the right thing for the family is taking the children out of school.

Holidays Independent of Local Authority

New legislation aims to transfer the ability to set holiday times from the Local Authorities to individual schools. This could see a huge shake-up in the way that school holidays are organised and could see a move away from the long summer break with longer holidays at other times. All this could be good news for parents struggling with term time holidays, but could be complex for families with children in separate schools. Parents have the responsibility of being aware of the current legislation and how it is being applied in their local area, and once you have all the facts you can than make the correct decision for your circumstances.