Term-time holidays crackdown unfair, says mum

A single mother who was fined for taking her family on an unauthorised term-time holiday says the current system is unfair to young people with additional needs.

Leanne Bray said each of her five children, aged between six and 15, was autistic, rendering it impossible to go abroad during the summer holidays because resorts were too busy.

Coleshill Heath Primary School, attended by her four youngest, rejected her request for time off and she was prosecuted by Solihull Council for a trip to Lanzarote.

Fines for parents taking children out of school without permission will rise across England from September and the Government says it is committed to returning attendance to pre-pandemic levels.

At a court hearing last week, Ms Bray, 35, insisted she had done nothing wrong.

The mother, from Chelmsley Wood, said her children needed a break and it was not right that she could not take them away through no fault of their own.

She was ordered to pay £160 in fines plus a surcharge of £64.

Speaking afterwards, Ms Bray said her children liked peace and quiet in a calm environment.

"If I had taken them during half term like everyone else it would have been extremely challenging," she said.

Ms Bray, a full-time carer, claims to have carefully planned the holiday and consulted professionals who agreed a break from the children's routines would be beneficial to their wellbeing.

The court heard her youngsters' attendance at Coleshill Heath School was good and they were present in class about 95% of the time.

She said the family went on educational outings during the trip, including days out to learn about volcanoes and submarines.

"They are my children and I know them better than anyone else," Ms Bray added.

"I feel very judged with my situation and I feel like one book fits all. It shouldn't be that way."

Jon Platt, from the Isle of Wight, made headlines in 2017 when he took his daughter on a term-time holiday to Disney World in Florida.

He ended up losing his case at the Supreme Court and said the precedent set by the UK's highest judges had made the rules much stricter for other mums and dads.

While courts had previously looked at overall attendance, meaning parents of children with about 95% attendance were unlikely to be prosecuted, the ruling against Mr Platt made it clear any unauthorised absence was a criminal offence.

The father claimed the system was particularly harsh on children with additional needs who struggled to cope in crowded places.

"It's grossly unfair to target those people," he said.

This week, it was announced the minimum school absence fine will increase from £60 to £80 per parent.

As part of a government drive to return attendance to pre-pandemic levels, new guidelines will tell schools to consider a fine after a child has missed five days' school without the head teacher's permission.

The £60 fine was introduced in 2013 and has not been increased in the 11 years since.

Solihull Council said reducing unauthorised child absences from school was a government, Ofsted and council priority.

“A child’s learning is affected if they are not in school so it is vital that parents or guardians ensure they attend," a spokesperson said.

The Department for Education added parents had a duty to make sure their child regularly attends school.

"Holidays should be around school breaks to avoid taking children out of school during term time," the department added.

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