Council leaders have urged headteachers not resort to a blanket ban on parents taking their children out of school during term time.
David Simmons, chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said ‘common sense must prevail’ when there is a legitimate reason for absence and called on schools not to trigger an automatic fine.
Councils are responsible for processing fines and starting legal proceedings when alerted to unauthorised absence by schools. The LGA said that with the cost of holidays rocketing during holiday periods, it would be unfair to penalise ‘hard pressed families’.
‘Such block bans can also be particularly hard on workers in key professions such as those working in the NHS, police force and the military as they are often unable to request leave during busy school holiday periods,’ it said.
Cllr Simmonds said good school attendance was of ‘paramount concern’.
But he added: ‘An outright ban is too simplistic, and doesn't recognise that family life and circumstances aren't always so black and white.
‘We shouldn't have a system where family holidays are just for the rich or indeed children aren't able to take time off in light of family bereavement. There needs to be flexibility within the system.
‘Headteachers know the circumstances of families and what’s going on in their school throughout the year and should be trusted to make decisions without being forced to issue fines and start prosecutions.
‘Heads are accountable for the performance of their school and councils want to be able to let them make decisions rather than being tied up in red tape or having to worry about Ofsted or the Department for Education bearing down on them for authorising short absences.’
