Parents Face A Fine For Taking Children On Holiday In Term Time

An option being looked at, is fining parents who continue to take their children out of school in term time, to go on holiday they are doing this to take advantage of the cheaper holiday prices on offer.

At the moment, if you allow your child to truant you can face a penalty of up to £100. However Ministers are concerned that more often than not the courts offer conditional discharges and that this threat of fine is becoming meaningless.

The proposal comes after a review of school discipline and attendance by teacher and behavior expert Charlie Taylor. Approximately 4.5million days of school are unattended due to pupils going on holiday, holidays are significantly more expensive when taken during school.

Head teachers it is believed authorize 75% of holidays taken, and they are second to sickness when asked for a reason for absence.

The concern for Ministers is that if middle class children can miss school for a holiday, the signal will be that truancy is acceptable.

A source at the Department for Education said: ‘Any time out of school has the potential to damage a child’s education. That is why the Government will end the distinction between authorised and unauthorised absence.’

Under achievement at school is caused from high levels of truancy Ministers believe, this can mean that children from poorer backgrounds do not reach their full potential as teachers are left unwilling to enforce attendance.

They also believe that the parents should have tougher penalties imposed on them and they should be more and more vigorously enforced by the courts.

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: ‘The discretionary ten days has become a bit of a cultural expectation with parents viewing it as a right in some cases. It is not. Children only have one chance to get their education right and for schools to do their best for pupils. It is essential that children have good attendance.’

The National Association of Head Teachers said the measure would discourage parents from trying to put pressure on heads to sanction term-time holidays.

Research by travelsupermarket.com reveals prices increase by up to 42 per cent for a family of four taking a two-week trip to the Algarve during the school holidays.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said the proposals had been revealed as a result of leaked information and that they refused to comment on leaks.