'£100 fine for £1,000 saving': Readers' support for parents who take children on holiday during term time
"WE do it every year – it saves us £1,000 and we get a £100 fine. The maths is simple – even my son can work that out and he misses a week of school every year."
This is just one of the many comments from readers following our article about parents being fined for taking children out of school for family holidays.
It's the result of travel companies hiking up prices during school holidays – leaving that luxury out of reach for many.
We revealed on Wednesday that last academic year, 359 parents were fined for their children being off school without authorisation – some of them because they had gone on holiday.
BLINDS & CURTAINS MADE 2 MEASURE WE COVER SCUNTHORPE & GRIMSBY...
View detailsFREE MEASURING AND FITTING SERVICE PHONE809887 FOR A FREE QUOTE www.grimsby-sunblinds.co.uk
Contact: 01472 809887
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
Another reader who commented on the article on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk wrote: "I can see exactly why some parents take their kids out of school, especially when the choice is 'we go during term time or we don't go'."
Another commented: "I think I'd rather pay the respective number of £50 fines and save £1,274 on the holiday deal," which is the amount a family of four could save on a holiday to Florida in June, rather than the end of July.
However, some readers disagreed, with one commenting: "The state gives children a free education but there are reasonable rules attached.
"If you want the schooling then you follow the rules – that seems fair enough to me."
Meanwhile, the travel agent featured in the article has now called for all travel agents to make sure parents are made aware of the possibility of being fined at the time of booking a holiday.
Janine Wilbourne, who owns Waltham Travel, on Eastgate, Louth, has pledged to inform all parents who book holidays in term-time that they may be fined £50 if it is not authorised by the school's headteacher.
Mrs Wilbourne said: "It is not up to us to tell people when to take the holidays but we can at least give them all the information and let them make an informed decision.
"I think that most travel agents already tell people about fines and most parents already know but we like to be entirely honest.
"Some parents will still choose to take children out in term time because the money they could save is much more than the fine but it tends to be those with younger children."
However, two other travel agents believe that parents are already well aware of the fines.
One agent, who preferred not to be named, said: "When we talk to clients, they already know about them so I think that the schools are already doing a good job at publicising the information."
Another source, from package holiday giant Thomson, said: "Parents usually tell us about the fines in term time before we have the chance to mention it.
"Most of us are parents ourselves so we know just how hot the schools are on telling parents that they will be fined at both primary and secondary level."
What do you think?
Comment on this story at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk or email viewpoint@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk
Comments
by des22
Sunday, January 06 2013, 4:27PM
“The education is free just the same as the NHS and benefits. Of course it's paid by taxpayers but it isn't paid by the customers is it?”
by daveyw
Sunday, January 06 2013, 3:24PM
“the schools cant control the truants so they punish the good kids as usual - its all about meeting figures and targets and nothing whatsoever to do with education. a bit like them making the kids do every exam 15 times until they eventually pass.”
by aaaaa2010
Sunday, January 06 2013, 2:16PM
“free education???....no it certainly isnt free... you pay in so many other ways :D”
by Cake_Dude_Jay
Saturday, January 05 2013, 11:36PM
“the state gives them a free education? the tax payer gives them their education!”
by reaper_grim
Saturday, January 05 2013, 11:12PM
“the last 3 week of July at a junior School can be 'a waste of time', as my kids would come home saying 'we watched a video today', say Shrek, that ain't learning it well paid child care!”
by socks_uk
Saturday, January 05 2013, 10:38PM
“Take the children on holiday in early July and take them somewhere where they will learn the culture of the destination.”
by onowotono
Saturday, January 05 2013, 7:56AM
“I bet their kids look just as clever :-(”
by miss_frosty1
Friday, January 04 2013, 10:26PM
“I think so long as kids have a good attendance record and are doing well then taking them out of school for 2 weeks at the most is not going to do them any harm, if anything, it can be a better education for them than being at school depending on where they are spendind their holidays. The Government need to clamp down on holiday companies hiking up the prices in school holidays, there is no need for it apart from greed. A lot more kids would probably get the chance of a holiday if these greedy fat cats where made to keep their prices at the same level throughout the year.”
by mingmingrob
Friday, January 04 2013, 6:39PM
“Why do the holiday companies charge more at half term / summer holiday periods......greed!
Do these companies have higher overheads in the holidays than they do during term time.
Do they pay their workers more in August than they do in June, does the same apply to the prices for food, energy, water etc........the answer is no.
I'm a tradesman...... if I went to Butlins and told them that I have cheap rates for term time but I treble my prices for the same work during the school holidays.....do you think they would use me........you know the answer!”
by scartho1869
Friday, January 04 2013, 4:25PM
“280pounds this week 580 in half term for a family of 4 to go to centre parcs. my kids haven't started school yet but when they do pop the fine in the post I'm happy to pay it!”