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I think it counts after they turn 5.
When I was a teacher they didn't often actually bother fining people, as I'm pretty sure it's up to the discretion of the school, it was only really repeat offenders to try to deter them. It's worth speaking to other parents at your school because some may be stricter than others but that was my experience in a few schools in South Glos!
I think it’s crazy schools trying to fine parents like we don’t have enough trouble with money and making sure our families are looked after! Holidays are a special occasion and not every child gets to experience it so I fully believe if you can take your kids away do it! X
@Sarah I agree. My mum lives abroad so it’s just going to cost me so much more flight money to see her if I can only go during the school holidays. It means my son’s time with his grandma is going to be cut in half. Unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to afford any fines
It’s at the schools discretion as to whether they fine. It’s also only if they have 5 consecutive days off. So you could for example send him to school on a Monday and then go away Tuesday-Sunday. He’d miss 4 days of school then.
It's 10 sessions. If they are there for the register then that session is considered attended.
The term after they turn 5. In our area is the council who make the choice to fine, the school reports absences to the council (which they legally must do) , and then it’s the councils choice to fine not the schools. I think holidays are important, especially if they involve seeing family x
I think we only get fined once they legally have to be in school. So the September after they turn 5.
Can your mum come to you more?
Even if you get fined its much cheaper than flying during school holidays.
Got fined for taking my boy out for 5 days for holiday and he had had no other absence
They are suggesting with the new government that they will up it to a crazy figure. For now I know that our local primary make you write a letter and they keep a record. No instant fine as it is something that's then on file in case you 'take the piss'
I took my 4yr old out for a holiday, he missed 5 days. We didn’t get a fine, but here you don’t get fined until after they turn 5. I just had to put a request in to the headteacher (which got declined anyway 😂)
I’m a deputy headteacher, it’s the term after the child turns 5 which is statutory school age, you can’t be fined before then.Almost all holiday requests sent to the headteacher will be declined, there are very strict criteria for which one may be approved. As above, the decision to fine isn’t just down to the school alone, it’s very often done in conjunction with the local authority. And many of the leadership in schools, responsible for monitoring attendance are parents too; who totally understand that holidays are expensive in school holidays (our staff don’t have the option to take their own kids any other time) and also totally understand that there are many benefits to a child being able to go on holiday, but “don’t shoot the messenger”- we don’t make the rules. And schools HAVE to show they’re ‘cracking down’ on attendance because a- it does matter, especially for parents that allow their children to take a lot of time off, but b- we’re held accountable (directors, Ofsted etc
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@Caroline no, she took in an 80 year old abuse survivor who needs round the clock care and can’t leave him. Longest she’s came was for two nights for her sisters funeral when her other sister sacrificed going to the funeral to care for the man for my mum to come home. She says she can’t leave Spain till Ken dies 😭😂
@Bailyn how much is the fine?
I've heard they've changed it to £80 it was £60.
@Neena yes he’s 5 next March, does it count from when they’re 5 then?
@Lydia ah that’s a shame, he just missed the cut off point of 1 April which would have meant it started in Jan 2026. So in your instance, the term after your son is 5 would be the summer term, so any fines would be applicable from the September 2025 term onwards. And I know 4 mums who have been fined for taking their kids out of school, all instances they were happy to pay as the savings they made for not going during school holidays was thousands. Going forward with these new rules in place, we’ve had so many conversations about it, because of the sharp increase in the fine and also both parents being fined too, a lot of them were saying they just wouldn’t be able to risk it so either gonna get creative and lie saying ill, or just not bother at all. I’m planning to go away next April during term time, ill let you know what “excuse” I come up with 😆 The difference between the dates I was looking at for last week of term vs 1 week later in school hols was £3k!!!
Just say he’s sick for the week lol x
@Irreverent Mother he would come home and tell them hey we went to Spain on holiday I was not ill. He won’t lie for me ! Or he’d say “my mummy told me to say I was sick but I was on holiday”
Also how many of you know people who have been fined? My mum said they don’t actually do it