Schools in Britain are relaxing the rules around term-time holidays following a successful high court appeal made by a parent last year.
Councils around the country are re-evaluating their rules around schoolchildren going on holiday during term time, with some schools now entirely scrapping fines for parents.
Under guidance from the Department of Education, it was announced in 2013 that children would no longer be allowed to be taken out of school during term time unless there were “exceptional circumstances”.
Parents who take their children out of school are liable to pay a £60 fine, doubling to £120 if the penalty isn’t paid within three weeks.
Those who don’t pay the fine face prosecution which could lead to a maximum fine of £2,500 or, in some cases, up to three months in prison.
Jon Platt from the Isle of Wight was taken to court last year after refusing to pay a £120 fine when he took his seven year old daughter on holiday to Disney World and Lapland.
He won his High Court case because he argued that his daughter’s regular attendance at school balanced out the holidays. A judge agreed with this and overruled the fine.
Since then, many councils have changed their policies around term-time holidays and fines.
An investigation carried out by the BBC found that 35 English councils have changed their policy following the High Court decision. A further five are reviewing their policy, while 28 have got rid of fines completely.
However, despite Mr Platt’s success at the High Court, the Isle of Wight council, was later granted permission to appeal to the Supreme Court against the judgement. The court case takes place this week.
We are still yet to hear what Swindon Borough Council will decide, whether they will continue to keep the fines in place or if they will change their policy and abolish the penalties that parents currently face when holidaying with their children in term time.
