Thousands of parents fined for taking kids on holiday when they should be at school

Coventry City Council could have made up to £835,680 from the fines since they were introduced

The number of parents fined for taking their kids on holiday while they were supposed to be at school has skyrocketed in Coventry.

A massive 2,203 fines were issued to parents whose children had missed classes to go on holiday with their family during the last academic year (2017/18).

That 's a staggering rise from the 320 fines issued in the academic year before.

The government brought in fines for parents whose children missed school for a holiday back in September 2013 in a bid to raise education standards.

Since then, Coventry City Council has issued almost 7,000 fines - 6,964 in total.

The £60 fine rises to £120 if you don’t pay within 21 days - meaning the authority could have made £416,760 if people paid up on time or £835,680 if they did not since September 2013.

Yes, kids should attend school, but family holidays are important. It strikes me that the council are just using this as a revenue generating exercise than properly assessing what is best for the child.

Does the council refund parents on teacher training days when children have to have days off because of this and parents have to pay some one to watch their kids because they are both having to work because of new laws. NO I did nt think so. Its one rule for them another for us it's called dictatorship but worse.