School absence

I've been MIA from this board for quite a while due to a number of different reasons, but I've been checking in from time to time- and hoping to get back into the swing of things here shortly.

I have recently come across some information that has me surprised. Is it common for schools in England to charge fines for school absences? Say I were to take my kids out of school for couple days for whatever reason, or extend on a already scheduled school holiday- will we get charged for this? The reason I ask is someone commented on how she's very nervous about submitting her request to take her kids out of school for one day due to the fact that their plane tickets were changed from night to morning flights, meaning the kids would be missing the day of school. She mentioned how she would be getting a lecture and a fine as well before her request would be approved. Is this a wide spread thing across all of England? Is it because attendance has been rather low and in order to maintain decent attendance they have implemented these rules?

We have family in the US and in other parts of Europe, so chances are good we will be having to take the kids out of school for extended periods of time for travel but now I am nervous about these rules that I had no idea about before?

I also have seen that for illness, after one day of absence you have to have a Dr's note for further days of absence, is this really the case as well?

The assessment of punitive fines for missing school is a new-ish government policy from what I understand, that has only gone into effect in the past year.

Here is a link with the government policies on school attendance and absence:

https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence/overview

Different schools seem to interpet and apply the fines to greater or lesser degree, so your mileage may vary. I do know of a woman who took her son from school to go visit family in the US for a week or so during term time, and both she and her husband were charged a £60 fine each, which is pretty harsh IMO. And that was when her son had no other school absences at all previously - except for when he had chicken pox. He'd previously received a perfect attendance award.

A lot of parents aren't very happy with the policy and some will argue it is nothing more than an unethical money making scheme for the schools. I've also heard of parents who are thinking of home schooling their children here - not because of conservative or religious reasons etc, but rather to not have to deal with schools (and Dept of Education) having more say over what their children may or may not do than the parents do.

I don't want to weigh on on whether or not this is a good thing, but head teachers now have more control over authorizing absences from school and fines do exist.

Fines do exist, for both parents in some cases, but £120 for a week's absence from school isn't likely to deter parents who wish to take less expensive vacations in term time.

isn't likely to deter parents who wish to take less expensive vacations in term time.

Well this is sort of the rub....a lot of holiday venues jack up their prices for school breaks.

I know that holiday prices are lower in term time, and I took my kids out of primary school in term time to ski. I hasten to add that this was their main hobby, as they skied and trained weekly on our local dry slope, and competed in slalom.

I'd do the same today, fine or no fine, we did experience some disapproval from the school but the head teacher was a little prejudiced against parents who didn't kiss a**!