“Where is the common sense and empathy?”: Parliament makes decision on Derbyshire mum’s petition calling to end ‘unfair’ schools absence rules
The government will not allow pupils to miss 10 days of school without good reason, a minister has said in response to a Derbyshire mum’s petition to allow children time off during the school term.
On Monday, October 27, Parliament discussed a petition launched in a bid to allow children up to 10 days off during the school term – without parents being fined.
This comes after Fight School Fines campaign, led by Natalie Elliott, from Marehay.
The petition received more than 180,000 signatures and prompted a debate which led to some MPs challenging the policy.
However, School Standards Minister Georgia Gould said the UK was still facing an "absence epidemic".
Ms Elliott, 37, a mum of two, claimed punishing parents for school absences ‘bred toxicity and damaged an already fragile relationship between school and home’ leaving some families unable to go on holiday.
New legislation, in place since September 2024, allows local councils to fine each parent up to £80 when their child is off school. If a child is off school three or more times within three years, parents will not be automatically fined but may be taken to court where they can be fined up to £2,500, receive a community order, a parenting order or a jail sentence of up to three months. This is an increase in the cost of fines to previous rules in place.
Ms Elliott said: “As it stands, school fines and prosecutions aren't just reserved for unauthorised holidays. Schools are marking genuine sickness as unauthorised, local authorities are criminalising parents of children who are not yet compulsory school age. Parents are being slapped with fines for family funerals! Where is the common sense and empathy?
"The attendance drive is prioritising 'bums on seats' rather than wellbeing and health. The legislation around school attendance is not fit for purpose, and must be reformed as a matter of urgency. Children want to learn, but forcing sick children into the classroom to satisfy attendance statistics is beyond damaging. We aren't giving children ‘the best start in life’, according to our Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, we are coercing attendance through fear.”
During the debate the House of Commons heard that holidays were ‘expensive’ with prices jumping ‘hugely’ during typical holiday seasons – leaving many families unable to afford a holiday during school breaks.
The Parliament further heard that holidays can provide ‘educational and vocational experiences that are impossible to replicate in the classroom’.
Linsey Farnsworth, the Labour MP for Amber Valley, said: “The strength of feeling behind this petition is clear, with over 1,000 signatures in my constituency alone. It was raised by my constituent, Natalie Elliott, a formidable campaigner and a vital supporter to families facing fines, often in stressful and traumatic circumstances.
"I am a firm believer that a good education is one of the most powerful tools for social mobility. However, under the current system, families face significant challenges.
“SEND families are particularly affected, and the system in Derbyshire is under immense strain. Children with autism or ADHD often cannot cope with busy holiday periods, yet their families are fined for going away when it is quieter. Those children have a right to family life and legal protections, but too often they are overlooked.”
However, the Parliament has also heard that Britain was facing an ‘absence epidemic’ – with one in five children persistently absent, missing the equivalent of a day each fortnight.
Concerns were raised over an impact that missing school has on children’s wellbeing and learning.
Saqib Bhatti, MP for Meriden and Solihull East, argued that school was vital for every child, equipping young people with the knowledge they needed to go into the world of work and contribute to society.
He added: “Every single school day missed is a lesson not learned, whether that is an academic lesson or a lesson about life itself. We cannot allow a culture of school absence to become acceptable.”
Concluding the debate, School Standards Minister Georgia Gould said: “We are committed to tackling the problem. As we have heard from many, absence is one of the biggest barriers to opportunity, damaging learning, health and wellbeing, future earnings and employment.
"Each day of lost learning can do serious harm. That is why we will not allow pupils to miss 10 days of school without good reason.”
Commenting on the debate’s result, Natalie Elliott said: “It didn’t go as we wanted it to but it wasn’t unexpected.
"A lot of the time they say they put children first but it’s not actually happening. Some of the schools mark absences for sickness as unauthorised. That should never be done.
"However, at the debate MPs agreed that current fining system needs change, which is quite positive. Minister Georgia Gould is looking into an independent appeal process that would allow parents to appeal decisions if they did not agree with a local authorities or headteacher’s decision. Headteachers and local authorities need to be scrutinised for making big decisions that impact people’s life.
"I’ve spoke to Minister Georgia Gould after the meeting and my local MP Linsey Farnsworth has promised to organise a meeting with me and the minister to discuss this in the future.”