Sandwell parents fined £13,000 over school term time holidays

More than 200 parents were made to pay by Sandwell Council during the 2015/16 school year under the controversial policy.

Figures showed many parents are continuing to take the risk of being fined, despite the legislation having now been in place for three years.

The measures have proved unpopular with parents since being introduced in 2013, with many complaining that it is unfair to face fines for taking their children on holiday.

However, school leaders have argued parents risk harming their child's education by taking them out of classes.

Fines of £60 are handed out to those who breach the rules, rising to £120 if not paid in 21 days. Anyone who refuses to pay then faces the prospect of being taken to court.

Data released under the Freedom of Information Act showed schools took action against 216 parents in the borough during the last school year which ended in July.

The payments brought in a total of £12,960.

Six parents managed to successfully appeal their fines, with action being withdrawn after they argued their case.

It is down to headteachers in most cases to decide whether a pupil's absence warrants a fine.

The number of fines issued in the borough has increased compared with previous years. There were triple the number compared to 2013/14 when there were 87, while there were just 15 handed out in 2012/13.

Earlier this year, a father from the Isle of Wight, Jon Platt, hit the headlines after winning a High Court ruling over a £120 fine.

Sandwell Council's children's services boss Simon Hackett said it was important that children do not miss out on time at school.

He said: "Although I do sympathise with families who struggle to get the time off during the statutory holiday periods and those that cannot afford holiday prices in the peak periods, I would obviously urge parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly so that their education is not disrupted."

The latest figures have been released as Derbyshire County Council announced parents would no longer be fined for taking children out of school except in 'extreme cases'.

Both Dudley Council and Staffordshire County Council said earlier this year parents who take their children on holiday for up to 10 days would not be fined, although no such policy changes have been announced elsewhere in the Black Country.

Across the UK, more than 120,000 families were fined between 2013 and 2015.