A HUGE spike in parents being fined for taking their children out of school for unauthorised term-time holidays has been revealed and more than 2,000 have fallen foul in less than a year.
Since September 2024, Barnsley Council has issued 2,300 penalty notices to parents, which has led to some being fined in court.
New government rules introduced at the start of the school year have made it easier and quicker for councils to take action when children miss too many days.
Under the new system, councils must issue fines in certain cases of unauthorised absence such as a family holiday not pre-approved by the school, or when attendance remains low even after a formal warning is issued.
The policy is set nationally by the Department for Education but is administered locally by each council.
Fines dished out in Barnsley this year predominantly went to families with children in primary schools around 59 per cent of fines were issued to parents of primary school pupils and about 40 per cent to secondary.
Each fine is £60 if paid within 21 days, rising to £120 if not paid within that time.
If the fine isn’t paid at all, the case can go to court, where parents may face a larger fine or other penalties.
From September 2024 to March 2025, around 1,800 fines in Barnsley were paid within the lower 21-day rate, while 44 ended up being referred to court.
The increase is thought to reflect a return to tougher attendance policies after the pandemic, where children lost large chunks of their education.
Barnsley Council says the money from paid fines covers the costs of running the system and that term-time holidays can negatively affect a child’s education.
Coun Trevor Cave, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services, said: “Improving attendance is a priority for us and we will continue to work with schools and parents to share the importance of preventing term-time absences.
“We ask parents to consider the impact of taking children out of school for holidays.
“While we acknowledge that families want to keep holiday costs down, there is research which demonstrates that term-time holidays can create gaps in learning that are difficult to bridge, it can feel hard to catch up and for some children it can be challenging to settle back into school when attendance is inconsistent or disrupted.
“We continue to follow government guidance when issuing any school absence fines, and the money raised through these penalties is used to cover the costs of running the system.”
Parents can be fined up to a maximum of £1,000 per child for failing to make sure their children attend.
However, if they are a repeat offender, the new guidelines allow courts to impose a fine of up to £2,500 or even a three-month prison sentence in most serious cases.
A council statement added: “As a parent, you’re legally responsible for making sure that your child gets a full-time education, either in school or through other suitable arrangements.
“If your child’s attendance doesn’t improve, or you don’t co-operate, you’ll be referred back to court.
“This could result in a fine of up to £2,500 you could also be referred back to social care, who will consider applying for a higher order, which could include care proceedings.”
