School holiday fines hit record high – but are they fair for all families?

The rise in fines – and where they’re issued most

The latest figures from the 2023-24 school year show that the number of fines issued has tripled since 2016-17, when records began.

The highest rate of fines was in Yorkshire and the Humber, with Barnsley leading at 183 fines per 1,000 pupils. Meanwhile, Newcastle saw the biggest jump, from just 161 fines in 2022-23 to nearly 2,000 last year.

Birmingham, the largest local authority in the country, issued the most fines overall—14,632—representing a 33% increase from the previous year.

The government acknowledges discrepancies between councils and introduced new national guidance in August 2024 to create a more consistent approach to issuing penalties.

‘I don’t have full responsibility for my children’

For some parents, the decision to take their children out of school is not just about affordability but necessity.

Sarah, from Leicestershire, has a 10-year-old son, Tyler, who is autistic and has ADHD. The thought of travelling to a busy holiday destination during peak season is overwhelming for him.

“My son doesn’t do well in large crowds,” she told the BBC. “The holiday crowds would be too much for him”.

To avoid that stress, Sarah and her partner took their children to Turkey for a six-day holiday during term time. When they returned, they received a fine of £320.

“I feel like I don’t have full responsibility for them,” she said. “The fact that I can’t pull them out of school for a holiday—it doesn’t seem fair”.

Sarah also argues that their trip wasn’t just about relaxation. “The kids got to learn about all sorts of Turkish culture, Turkish food, Turkish currency,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean anything, because apparently, I’m neglecting my children by taking them out of school”.

How much are the fines?

As of August 2024, the DfE’s new framework sets clear rules on when and how fines are issued.

• Parents can be fined if a child misses five or more days of school without authorisation.
• Fines start at £60 per child but rise to £80 if not paid within 21 days and £160 after 28 days.
• If a second fine is issued for the same child within three years, it automatically starts at £160.
• For a third offence, parents can face prosecution, with potential court fines of up to £2,500.

Money from fines goes directly to local councils, who say they use the funds to support school attendance initiatives.

Are schools doing enough to help parents?

Some schools are taking steps to work with parents in response to rising term-time holiday costs.

The Laurel Academy in Doncaster, a city with one of the highest fine rates in England, has moved its Easter break a week earlier this year in a bid to help families find cheaper holidays.

But headteacher Katy Taylor-Clarke insists schools must be firm on attendance. “It’s a big issue,” she told the BBC. “Some of the frustration lies with the travel companies who inflate the prices, but ultimately, children need to be in school”.

She acknowledges parents’ concerns but says schools must apply the rules consistently. “As a general rule of thumb, we won’t authorise a term-time holiday. We have to be consistent because it’s not fair if we fine some parents and not others".

Do fines actually improve attendance?

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, believes fines are a “crude tool” that fail to address the root causes of school absences.

To truly improve attendance, he argues, the government must invest in more support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as in community services and mental health support.

Currently, schools have some discretion to allow absences in “exceptional circumstances,” but there are no national guidelines defining what qualifies. This leaves headteachers to make difficult judgment calls on a case-by-case basis.

Is there a better solution?

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says fines are necessary to tackle the “epidemic of school absence.” She warns that when children miss school, teachers’ attention is diverted to helping them catch up, impacting the entire class.

“When children miss school unnecessarily, all children suffer, as teachers’ attention is diverted to helping them catch back up, and we will not apologise for ensuring every child is in school accessing high and rising standards so they can achieve and thrive,” she told the BBC.

However, for parents like Sarah, the system doesn’t account for the realities of individual families. As long as term-time holidays remain significantly cheaper and some children struggle in peak-season conditions, many parents will continue to weigh the cost of a fine against the benefits of a more manageable holiday.

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