Despite the government’s efforts to crack down on term-time holidays, many parents in England remain undeterred by increased fines for unauthorised school absences. According to the latest attendance data, 5% of pupils were absent without permission in the final week of the summer term, equating to approximately 450,000 children. This marks the highest rate of the academic year.
In response, the government has raised fines for parents taking their children on unauthorised holidays. The penalty has increased from £60 to £80 per child, and parents face doubled fines if it happens again within three years. A third fine could lead to prosecution. However, for some parents, these measures are not a deterrent.
Megan Hall and her husband Michael, who received their first fines after a ski trip in March, have already booked another two-week holiday this month. “The kids will be missing 10 days of school, which is a worry because of the new fines,” Mrs. Hall explained. Running a pub and bed-and-breakfast in Northumberland, the couple argues that taking holidays during term time avoids high costs and disruption to their business during the busy summer season. “I won’t stop doing holidays because that’s what family is about,” she said, rejecting the idea of teaching their children to lie about being sick.
While some parents remain defiant, others like Dee and Lee Morgan, who have been fined six times in recent years, feel forced to change their plans. “Life’s hard enough,” said Dee, a nurse. “We deserve a holiday—everyone does. Why do they have to make it hard?” The new threat of prosecution has made the Morgans reconsider term-time getaways for their children, aged 10 and 13.
The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has defended the stricter rules, emphasizing that parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their children are in school. “So they benefit from the high and rising standards this government will seek to drive,” she said.
Despite the increasing penalties, the debate continues, with many parents feeling torn between family time and avoiding financial strain.