Thinking of Vacationing During Term Time? Read This First

Amidst the perpetual winter prevailing in the UK, you may feel enticed to plan a family trip to sunnier destinations. However, if your kids are currently enrolled in school, can you embark on a holiday during the academic session? Thus far, the regulations have been somewhat lenient, with regional authorities having the discretion to penalize parents, or not. Nevertheless, starting from August 2024, a fresh national protocol is being introduced by the government, mandating all regional authorities to contemplate penalizing parents for vacationing during term time, with the fines escalating.

What amount would I be penalized for withdrawing my child from school?

So, what implications does this hold for you? Presently, the penalty stands at £60 per parent, per child, escalating to £120 if not settled within 21 days. The Department for Education (DfE) has now raised this in accordance with inflation. Consequently, if your child is absent from school for more than five days without the requisite authorization, you run the risk of incurring a penalty of £80 within 21 days, or £160 within 28 days.

The penalties per parent are capped at two fines within a span of three years. Beyond this threshold, the Department for Education stipulates that ‘alternative actions like a parenting order or prosecution will be contemplated’, potentially resulting in a penalty of up to £2,500.

What is the reason behind the escalating fines for school absences?

This alteration comes in the wake of a surge in the number of fines being dispatched for unauthorized absences post-pandemic, with a record-breaking 400,000 penalty notices being issued in England during the 2022-23 academic year. As per data from the Department for Education, nearly 90% of these penalties were associated with vacations during term time.

Is it permissible to take my children on a vacation during the academic session?

Given the surge in fines for exceeding a five-day school absence, you might ponder if it’s worth the risk to take your children out of school. Undoubtedly, children have encountered substantial challenges over the past few years, and education underwent impediments during the pandemic. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan remarked, “our outstanding schools and teachers stimulate children’s creativity, potential, and interpersonal abilities”.

Do vacations contribute to education?

However, certain parents are advocating on social platforms that enriching life experiences such as holidays and voyages can yield similar benefits, acquainting children with diverse nations, cultures, and individuals. Furthermore, with the ongoing cost of living crisis and the substantial spike in flight and accommodation expenses during summer breaks and mid-term holidays, embarking on vacations during school breaks can potentially become unfeasible. In light of these more stringent guidelines, it’s not surprising that numerous parents are opting to homeschool their children, providing them the opportunity to organize budget-friendly international trips during term times.

Nevertheless, to counteract the decline in school attendance since 2018/2019, the government is implementing a range of initiatives to encourage higher regularity in children’s school attendance.