Mother claims to know ‘simple trick’ to take children on holiday during school hours
A mother claims she has found a loophole in the education system that allows her to take her children on holiday outside of school hours.
Jenny has been traveling across the sea with her children for the past five years with confidence and claims she has never had any problems doing so.
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Taking children out of school for a cheap holiday is frowned upon because it can disrupt their learning process.
Earlier this year, Labour’s Bridget Phillipson strongly criticised “disrespectful” parents who do this.
The MP highlighted that some schools are struggling with persistent absence rates of more than 50 percent.
She said, “Cheaper holidays, birthday presents, not feeling like it today, those are not excuses to skip school.
“Sanctions must be part of the system, but they cannot be the only solution.
“Letting your child skip school without good reason shouldn’t just result in a fine. It goes deeper. It’s a sign of disrespect. For the children, the teachers, the school.”
Cash-strapped parents are increasingly opting for school holidays, with the average price of a school holiday ranging from £289pp to £1,610pp.
This is much cheaper than school holiday prices, which range from £398pp to £1,932pp, according to Go compare.
And Jenny, mother of three, is one of them.
She went to her TikTok page @justjennybenny to share her ‘simple’ trick with other parents on her platform.
The video has since gone viral and has been viewed over 666,700 times. Over 1,100 people have responded in the comments to share their thoughts.
Jenny told the camera that she manages to circumvent the system by going through the school calendar dates with a “fine-tooth comb.”
She then looks at how many days there are holidays, how many days there are closing days, or how many days there are closures for random occasions.
The mother of three will then book a week away around those dates, as the children “have to be absent for five days to receive a fine.”
She often goes away in May, because there is a certain week when her children’s school is closed for two days.
This means that her children only miss three days of school that week.
While Jenny agrees that it is “illegal,” she is confident that she “will not be penalized” because of the days off the school gives her.
According to the GOV website Schools must impose a fine if a child has missed 10 or more sessions (5 days) for unauthorized reasons.
From August 2024, the fine for missing school across the country will be £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days.
Currently, it is the local authority that is responsible for imposing fines on parents. It is important to check the rules of your local council for this, as the procedure varies from one council to another.
Jenny also gave an example from July 4th this year.
Her children’s school was closed for the election and the British people were voting that day, meaning that if she had wanted to, she could have booked a holiday for that week, ‘from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday’.
Don’t be afraid, I just don’t want to pay fines and I don’t want thousands of children to miss their holidays. I’m just trying to help.
Jenny
That would mean her children would only be absent from school for “four days, which means they wouldn’t get a fine.”
Jenny said she will “always” book vacations during the weeks when school is closed, for any day to save money.
She urges other parents to “think smarter” and review their child’s school calendar for the year and see all the days off for the week in one day.
Jenny says: “You won’t get a fine. It’s that simple.
How do the fines work?
According to the GOV website, It is the responsibility of the local government to determine when fines are imposed on parents. This means that the procedure varies from municipality to municipality.
The government website states: “Under the new national framework, all schools must issue a fine if a child has missed 10 or more sessions (5 days) for unauthorised reasons.
“From August 2024, the fine for truancy will be increased throughout the country £80 if paid within 21 daysor £160 if paid within 28 days.
“Fines are a last resort and parents are first given support to improve their child’s attendance. The vast majority of fines for unauthorised absence (89%) are issued before school holidays.”
The maximum number of fines per parent is two within a three-year period.
If that limit is reached, prosecution will be considered. If you are prosecuted and appear in court because your child has not been to school, you could be fined up to £2,500.
Read more about school fines here
“That’s all I do and I will continue to do that, if I want to take them outside during school hours.”
The mother said she has a child with special care needs. It is difficult for him to go on holiday during the school holidays, because it is too busy then.
Therefore, she will do her best to get away during quieter periods.
Check local government regulations
Someone wrote: “We need to stop being afraid, this is control, our children are not the property of the state. They are OUR children.”
Jenny replied: “I’m not scared, I just don’t want to pay fines and I don’t want thousands of children to miss their holidays. I’m just trying to help.”
Many have asked if “deployment days” are included.
It is important to check the rules with your local school and municipality, as rules may vary from country to country.
Deployment training days are still considered school days and can be included in the five or more consecutive days of intentional absence due to school leave.
