UPDATE: |Mum taken to court for going on term-time holiday says ‘my child needed a break with her family’ News

The parent, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took her child out of primary school for a trip abroad

A mother has been fined in court after taking her child out of primary school for a holiday during term time.

The parent, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, defended her decision, citing her daughter’s health condition which necessitated the break.

The North Staffordshire Justice Centre was informed about how their return journey was unexpectedly extended due to delays caused by a travel company going bankrupt, resulting in the young girl missing an additional two days at her Stoke-on-Trent school in June 2024.

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Despite efforts to settle the initial £60 fixed penalty notice online, the payment failed – something the mother attributed to her dyslexia, admitting she didn’t realise a confirmation was required, StokeonTrentLive reported.

She clarified to the magistrates: “I’m dyslexic and I didn’t realise you had to press a confirmation. The dates included school holidays – she was only absent from school a few days.”

She added: “I cannot be held responsible for a transfer company not picking me up. I spent every penny I had to get home.

“I have total respect for the law. But I felt my child needed a break with her family after all she had been through”.

Records indicate that the pupil’s absence was a one-off, with her attendance for the current academic year being reported at 87 per cent. Back in January 2024, the mother had formally requested leave for the period from May 23 to June 7 to enable the family holiday.

The mother was handed a £60 fine by magistrates and was also instructed to pay a £24 surcharge. Magistrates’ chair Philip Taylor said: “You did try to make payment, but the responsibility is with you to make sure payment has gone through.”

In an unrelated hearing on Monday, another mother incurred a hefty £660 penalty due to her daughter’s absence from school between June 5 and June 13, 2024. She was not present at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre, and the proceedings were conducted in her absence.

The court was informed that attempts made by the school to contact the family on June 5 were unsuccessful, and the call the next day resulted in an international dial tone. The mother later phoned the school to explain that they were overseas for a wedding.

In addition to the fine, the Stoke-on-Trent-based mother must pay a £264 surcharge and cover local authority costs totalling £92.78.

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