New research has found that school holiday fines are at a record high in England. A record 443,322 fines were issued in England last year, according to figures from the Department for Education.
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00:00It's been found that almost nine in ten of fines which have been distributed to parents
00:08were for unauthorized holidays, as families look to book cheaper holidays outside school
00:13turn times. This comes according to figures from the Department for Education. Guidance
00:19has even suggested that schools and local authorities must take a support first approach
00:25to help pupils and their families tackle barriers and attendance. Increasingly, Paul
00:31Whiteman, General Secretary of School Leaders Union, said that when plans were first announced
00:37that good attendance is obviously critically important, but fines have long proven to be
00:42a blunt tool and largely ineffective at improving persistent absence. Some supporters of term
00:50time holidays have argued that the holidays can serve as an educational space for young
00:54people wherein they can learn about the world and different cultures outside of the classroom.
01:01Those opposed to term time holidays have said that it's important that a child's education
01:07does not suffer and that they don't have to catch up on any schoolwork they may miss in
01:12that time. According to a recent YouGov survey which asked respondents if parents who take
01:18their children on a term time family holiday should be fined, 30% who answered said yes,
01:24yet 56% of respondents said parents should not be fined. It's been reported that some
01:30parents have even said that the fines have been worth the money due to memories made
01:35on the trip and, of course, the amount of money saved. It's been reported that since
01:40the Covid pandemic, authorised absences for illness and unauthorised absences have remained
01:46really high in schools, with children's mental health being one of the biggest reasons cited.
01:53In terms of region, the place with the most school holidays fined and distributed was
01:56Yorkshire and the Humber.