Parents who take their family on holiday in term time could be fined £100 by the school's headteacher if they fail to get permission for their children to miss lessons, the Government warned today.
Taking term-time holidays without permission is truancy, declared junior education minister Ivan Lewis.
Heads can give permission for children to be absent for up to 10 days of a school year - for example if parents cannot take leave during the summer, but Mr Lewis said term-time holidays should be "the exception, not the rule".
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has teamed up with the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) to urge parents in England to book family trips in official school holidays.
With the industry gearing up to sell next year's summer breaks, ABTA has told its members to remind parents of the rules.
It is up to the head to decide whether or not to grant permission for a child to be absent during term time.
Under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act that was passed by Parliament recently, heads, from early in the new year, will have the power to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £100 to parents of children who play truant.
The fines are primarily intended to bring parents who repeatedly let their children miss school to their senses as an alternative to prosecution and a possible prison sentence.
But the DfES stressed that fines could be handed out for a first-time offence in "exceptional circumstances, for example where a parent has taken their child on holiday in term time without the school's permission".
However, it is debatable whether many parents will be fined for such transgressions, as heads have neither demanded nor welcomed their power to impose them.
Annoy
And the Government's warning is likely to annoy parents who believe travel firms exploit the rules by hiking the price of package deals during school holidays, especially in July and August.
Mr Lewis said: "Taking a holiday during term time can mean that children miss important school time and coursework and it will be difficult for them to catch up later on.
"Taking a child out of school for a holiday without the head's permission is unacceptable and will be treated as truancy."
Abta chief executive Ian Reynolds said: "Our members always encourage families to book early by providing excellent early discounts and free child places for what are always busy school holiday periods.
"Booking now means getting holidays at a good price, getting maximum choice and also means that your children's education doesn't suffer."
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If parents are fined for taking children on holiday, holiday firms should be even more heavily fined for taking advantage of the situation and putting their prices through the roof at school holiday time. This law is just playing right into their hands. Why doesn't some do-gooder MP raise this issue with the holiday companies instead of granting them a licence to print money.
B#100 is a small price to pay. You would save that much at least by booking a holiday with your children out of school holiday time instead of paying school holiday prices which the money grabbing travel firms charge.
Some people can only aford to go on holiday during term time or not at all.
Certain holidays are also educational a child would probably learn more on a week away where they are at museums/galeries/site of interest than in the average week at school. Granted if it was a week by a pool that would not be benifical to the childs education unlike a week at the pyramids etc etc.
Also the worse time to take children away is in summer due to the high temperatures and increased risk of sunburn/skin cancer so maybe it is the holiday companies that need to be told to review pricing or the way/when school have holidays that need reviewing.
I think if parents act responsibly there should be no fines to pay
Anyone with a family knows that holidays taken during the school holiday period can cost up to three times the normal price per person. It is outrageous that overpaid politicians should be attempting to deprive families of the opportunity of a decent holiday. Holidays are as important a part of education as attending school. Politicians should be seeking to prevent rip-off holidays rather than penalising parents.
I NEVER had a holiday abroard until I was 16 so theres no argument. I'm sorry but my parents never took me out of school. Did it scar me for life having no holiday until I was 16, NO. So whats the difference now. Have a week in Wales like I did when the kids are on holiday. If you cant afford a holiday then thats life. The only reason we eventually went on holiday is because my mother received some money in inheritance. People always want and want. A holiday isnt a necessity, especially abroard. Fine them, they deserve it. Some children around the world would love to go to school but cant and here we are in a country where 1st and secondary education is free for all advocating truancy. Its ludicrous. Is a holiday more important than your childs education???? I think not. No doubt I'll have casued uproar with my response. I'm 20 myself and cetainly wouldnt take my children out of school for a holiday!