Term Time holiday fine.

razam

Hi & apologies if this question had already been asked.

One of my friends has taken her daughter on holiday at the beginning of the Easter holidays. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances she is delayed in coming back.

This led to a discussion amongst friends about the term time holiday fine & one point seemed unclear...
Is the £60 fine per schoolday absent (ie. Going back to school 5 days late means £300 fine), or - as I understood it - per incident if absence (ie. Going back to school 5 days late = 1 incident = £60 fine)?

Second thing is, the rules read as though the £60 fine is doubled if it's a 2 parent family - is this also correct?

Mojisola

razam wrote: »

Is the £60 fine per schoolday absent (ie. Going back to school 5 days late means £300 fine), or - as I understood it - per incident if absence (ie. Going back to school 5 days late = 1 incident = £60 fine)?

Second thing is, the rules read as though the £60 fine is doubled if it's a 2 parent family - is this also correct?

Yes on both counts. £60 per parent per incident if paid within a set time.

If they have a very good reason for not being able to return when they originally planned, they could ask the school to allow the absences. The Head can give permission if there are 'exceptional circumstances'.

MasterPoo

Have you enquired with your LEA as I don't believe there is a set list of fines across the country so each will be different?

MasterPoo

Mojisola wrote: »

Yes on both counts. £60 per parent per incident if paid within a set time.

If they have a very good reason for not being able to return when they originally planned, they could ask the school to allow the absences. The Head can give permission if there are 'exceptional circumstances'.

Is this the same across the country?

Mojisola

MasterPoo wrote: »

Is this the same across the country?

This bit is -
https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence/legal-action-to-enforce-school-attendance

Some councils fudge the national guidelines a bit by saying it has to be 10 continuous sessions (5 full consecutive days) before penalties are imposed; some add up odd days off.

Check your council's website or the school website for local information.

pogofish

I'm puzzled at why this is in Overseas Holidays?

Unless the child was at school abtoad, this would be much better asked in MRF, where the rest of these threads usually go.

callum9999

pogofish wrote: »

I'm puzzled at why this is in Overseas Holidays?

Unless the child was at school abtoad, this would be much better asked in MRF, where the rest of these threads usually go.

Do you not think it could be in overseas holidays because it's about a holiday that's overseas?

pogofish

Is going to school considered a holiday now?

Surely any holiday is incidental, its the lack of attendance in the UK that's attracting the charge?

callum9999

pogofish wrote: »

Is going to school considered a holiday now?

Surely any holiday is incidental, its the lack of attendance in the UK that's attracting the charge?

Well that's an utterly ridiculous way of looking at it. Are you being deliberately obtuse?

George_Michael

pogofish wrote: »

Is going to school considered a holiday now?

Surely any holiday is incidental, its the lack of attendance in the UK that's attracting the charge?

Using that "logic", people shouldn't post on here enquiring about travel insurance as the holiday is incidental. It would be sickness, baggage going missing or a flight delay causing the problem.
How about people who are posting after having unexpectedly been charged for excess baggage whilst going on holiday? Shouldn't they post either as the holiday was also incidental and it was just the heavy bag that attracted the charge?

pogofish

George_Michael wrote: »

Using that "logic", people shouldn't post on here enquiring about travel insurance as the holiday is incidental. It would be sickness, baggage going missing or a flight delay causing the problem.
How about people who are posting after having unexpectedly been charged for excess baggage whilst going on holiday? Shouldn't they post either as the holiday was also incidental and it was just the heavy bag that attracted the charge?

All those situations seem perfectly reasonable and indeed are covered in the Forum Sticky - but a UK-based educational issue is something else again!