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£24m For School Holiday Fines

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15 March 2018

By Alex Khalil

An investigation by the BBC has determined that parents across UK and Wales have been fined around £24m for taking their children out of school during term time. The numbers come from the past three years, with some councils issuing penalties five times the normal amount.

Some parents now say they actively take into account the money they will be fined when planning a holiday. Some councils admit they are firmer with fines, however, it is all the interest of protecting the education of the children.

155 local authorities in England and Wales issued about 400,000 penalties over the past three years. Scotland and Northern Ireland do not issue fines.

Worth it? £60 or more for getting away during term time?

On average, 12 out of every 1000 students were taken away on holiday during term time, during 2016-2017.

Penalties can be issued for a number of reasons, including holidays or truancy taken during term time. It can also include ‘exclusion sweeps’ where a child is absent from school without a proper reason.

Local authorities can enact penalties on behalf of schools, which start at £60 and could be double that number if not paid within three weeks.

When budgeting for holidays, particularly with large families, many parents may believe it’s worth paying the fine. Holidays can cost up to 50% more in allocated school holidays than in term time.

We can see the reasoning; however, school time should still be respected. Unless it’s maths.

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