Devon schools' fines to differ by location

Plymouth allowing more leeway for holidays

Plymouth parents who have children in Devon County Council schools could still be fined if they take a family holiday during term-time.

On Friday the city council announced changes to its code of conduct which mean they won’t issue penalty notices for holiday absences of up to the equivalent of five whole days in a rolling 12-month period.  

While most schools in county come under the adminstration of Devon County Council, schools in Plymouth are run by the city council.

But parents in some parts of the county have children who attend schools run by a neighbouring education authority and as Devon does not have a similar policy they could be fined if their children who are in a school run by the county council go on holiday during term-time. 

The change in Plymouth comes into force in September, after being delayed due to the pandemic last year.  It follows a statutory consultation with schools and the police in November 2019.

Plymouth Councillor Dave Downie (Cons, Budshead Ward), cabinet member for education, skills and children and young people, said: “We know that family time is important and that fining parents for taking their children on a short holiday during term-time can hurt families on a budget.”

Councillor Downie added that they were not encouraging an abuse of the rules “Our schools have made it very clear that the rise in unauthorised holiday absence is having a detrimental impact on children’s outcomes,” she said.  

But officials at Devon County Council haven’t introduced formal changes to their code of conduct, suggesting the priority is to make up some of the time children have lost in the classroom.  

A spokesman for Devon County Council said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have taken into account the unique situation and different family circumstances that have had an impact on children’s attendance. 

“However children have lost out on learning over the past 15 months. As we begin to return to normal, it is important that in the new school year attendance for every student is as close to 100 per cent as possible. However, we will always take individual circumstances into account before any decision to prosecute is taken.”

Many families in areas bordering Plymouth City Council and Devon County Council education authorities have children who attend schools in both  will not benefit from the changes in the city’s policy. 

Rachel Kilpatrick is a mother of three children and lives in Woolwell. She says the policy change will have very little effect on them. 

“As a family it becomes irrelevant because I have two children in Devon schools,” she says. 

However, she broadly welcomes the thinking behind the policy change.She explained: “Particularly at the end of term, the week before summer or the week before Christmas there’s a lot of wind-down anyway.” 

But Ms Kilpatrick thinks families should only consider taking term-time holidays when children will not lose out.  She says: “Providing the children are sufficiently academically progressed enough and they’re not really struggling and their attendance is okay, I don’t think it’s an issue.”  

Local education authorities have not imposed fines on parents since the beginning of lockdown but as schools return to normal in the autumn term the rules will be reintroduced.  

A school absence penalty notice is £60 fine for anyone paying it in the first 21 days of receipt. 

Refusal to pay may result in a court summons.  Courts have a wide range of sentencing options which can, in extreme circumstances, result in a maximum fine of £2,500 and or three months imprisonment.