RECORD-BREAKING amounts of fines issued to parents for taking their children out of school in Barnsley rose by a staggering 96 per cent in a 12-month period.
Department for Education data shows there were 6,151 penalty notices issued in Barnsley for unauthorised absences in the last academic year, compared to 3,137 in 2022/23.
It was the highest number of notices issued since comparable records began for the area in 2009/10.
Of the penalty notices issued last year, 5,769 - 94 per cent - were for unauthorised holidays.
In September, school absence fines in England rose from £60 to £80, and a parent who receives a second fine for the same child within a three-year period now receive a £160 fine.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “School leaders take no pleasure in parents being fined but must have clear, consistent policies in place that emphasise the importance of attendance.
“We can understand why some parents want to take holidays at other times of year as this may be the only way it is affordable, even with the threat of a fine.
“However, we must do something to reverse the trend of a growing number of pupils missing out on a week or more of school.”
He said missing school is ‘damaging to their education’, as well as disruptive for classes and teachers, and warned it is difficult to solve the problem without the government restricting travel firms raising their prices during school holidays.
Of the resolved penalty notices in Barnsley, 4,722 were paid and 677 were withdrawn prior to prosecution.
A total of 272 led to court action being pursued due to fines not being paid.
All local schools and Barnsley policing teams have been consulted on the revised code of conduct for issuing penalty notices.
Coun Trevor Cave, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services, said: “It is not an attack on parents - every day a child spends out of school is one that cannot be replaced.
“This is the only way to deter people in order to stop the cycle.
“This new legislation is there to help, because children ought to be in school.
“The aim of this new framework is to make penalty notices more effective, by making sure they are only used in cases where they are the most appropriate tool to improve attendance.
“Local schools, and the police, have been consulted on the revised code of conduct for issuing penalty notices which will be followed in line with national guidance.
“This will make sure that penalty notices are issued consistently and fairly across Barnsley.”
Carly Speechley, executive director for children’s services, added: “We are committed to making sure that all children and young people in the borough have access to high-quality education and achieve their full potential.
“Poor school attendance can have a negative impact on academic achievement, social development, and future prospects for young people.
“By working together, we can make sure that our children receive the best possible education.”
