Thousands of Walsall parents fined for taking term time holidays

A total of 3,933 fines have been dished out from September 2012 to April 27, 2016, for unauthorised holidays being taken during school-time.

According to a Freedom of Information Act request, this equates to 49,061 days of teaching missed while pupils were out of school.

During the same period, 30 parents were taken to court for refusing to pay fines.

The figures come at a time when the High Court has ruled a man was entitled to take his child out of school on holiday due to her good attendance record.

The decision casts doubt on punishing parents for term-time holidays according to some politicians, with schools minister Nick Gibb pledging to take all 'measures necessary' to overturn the decision.

Councillor Chris Towe, Walsall Council's cabinet member for education, said: "I am afraid I am one of these people who believe the children should be in school at all times.

"It is the law and should be followed – it is not put in place for no reason.

"A child should not be taken out of school for anything not appropriate and for me, holidays are not appropriate. Every day missed at school is a lost opportunity.

"Education at a young age is getting more and more important all of the time and taking your child out of school for a holiday is not the right thing to do. I understand parents are under financial pressures and they can get stung by travel agents in school holidays, but that does not excuse breaking the law."

The amount of fines dished out in Walsall jumped up considerably in 2014, from 638 in 2013/2014 to 1,412 in 2014/15.

So far in this academic year, the figure stands at 1,199, up to April 27.

A total of 17 parents were taken to court in 2012/2013 and 13 in 2013/2014, however there have been no similar instances in the last two years.

Those that take children out without permission can be fined £60 per child, rising to £120 if it is not paid in 21 days. Failure to pay the fine can result in prosecution.