Mum takes extreme action after being fined for taking kids on holiday in term time

A mum-of-three has opted to homeschool her children temporarily to avoid court action after getting fined for a holiday during term time. Rachel Smith, 43, a jewellery designer, and her husband Stuart, 41, who operates Airbnb properties, decided to teach their kids at home following a £480 fine in January for taking a trip to Portugal.

Despite having two holidays already planned, including one to Legoland and an Easter break in Lanzarote, the couple took their three children - Owen, nine; Ruby, seven; and Zac, five - out of school for a term to dodge further fines or potential criminal charges. The Bridgwater-based family will resume regular schooling in May.

Speaking to The Mirror, Rachel, owner of the business iamrachel, said: "We're homeschooling our three children for a few months just so that we can go on a couple of affordable holidays. We'd be missing a total of four days off school this term. We had no choice but to take them out and homeschool them." She added: "We'd already been fined £480 and we were worried about getting a large fine and possible criminal record if we didn't."

Rachel expressed her concern about facing court action due to her children's school absence, stating: "I was really worried about court action, because I know of lots of people this has happened to. My anxiety was so high I couldn't sleep. I never intended to homeschool my children, but it's the only choice we have."

She also highlighted the financial aspect of holiday planning: "We went on holiday to Portugal earlier this year – we'd planned to come back the day after they were due at school but we ended up extending it by a week - and got fined hundreds of pounds.", reports the Mirror.

Rachel further explained how avoiding peak prices influenced their decision: "Going to Legoland for one night during term time will cost £400, but going in the Easter holidays is £700. By going to Portugal in January we managed to get flights for just £20 per person. You can never get flights for anything like that in the school holidays."

The Smith family's situation reflects a broader issue, with the government's latest statistics showing a record number of fines issued to parents for their children's absence from school in England. Of the staggering 487,344 fines in 2023-24, 91% were for unauthorised family vacations.

With unpaid fixed penalty notices or multiple issues, parents could end up in court, illustrated by the 28,296 prosecutions in the same period over school attendance.

Challenging the severity of the measures, Rachel added: "I think the government has been very heavy-handed – it feels like a dictatorship. How should the government be allowed to be in control of your children? The government is choosing to make it so that people can't have a holiday."

She concluded with a reflection on the importance of family breaks: "I don't think holidays are a luxury – they are so important for the wellbeing of the family.

"And the kids learn so much from having these experiences that we couldn't afford to do at other times."

Rachel's sentiments are echoed in a petition calling on the government to permit families to take their children out of school for up to 10 days a year for holidays during term time, which has now reached 100,000 signatures.

Supporting the campaign, Rachel says: "I understand that the government needs to crack down on truancy, but we are just wanting to give our kids educational experiences. There shouldn't be a one-size fits all approach."

To re-enrol her children in school for May, Rachel must reapply and then await a decision, a process that can take as long as three weeks.

"In order to homeschool, I had to write a letter saying I was deregistering them," she explains. "I was told that the school couldn't guarantee that there would be places available when they tried to come back. But it's a small school and not oversubscribed, so we should be ok."

Homeschooling, meanwhile, has brought a new level of flexibility to their lives.

Sharing the teaching duties with Stuart, Rachel starts the day with times tables and spelling at 8.15am, followed by a nature walk from 9am to 11am. Post-lunch, from 12.30pm to 2pm, the children enjoy free time for play and a bit of television.

At 2pm, it's time for art, which lasts until 3.30pm, after which they might visit family or friends, or attend a kids' club. Dinner is served at 5pm, followed by one TV programme at 6pm, then an hour of reading at 6.30pm before bedtime at 8pm.

Rachel shares her family's flexible approach to education: "We might do half an hour of maths in the morning and then go for a walk or we might do it at 6pm," she says. "We fit the learning in when it is right time for them. If they are not in the mood to do maths one day then we won't do any that day."

She also highlights the benefits of their lifestyle: "We used to go to an Airbnb for the weekend and have to rush back on Sunday night for school, but now we can do things on the beach the next day and create family memories. There is so much more flexibility."

On the financial advantages and future plans, Rachel adds: "We will have no hesitation in doing it again – either later this year or next year - if I feel the kids would benefit from a holiday."

She estimates they save between £3,000 and £5,000 annually by holidaying during term time.

Emphasising the importance of childhood, Rachel remarks: "Children are only little once."

The Mirror has sought a response from the Department for Education regarding this matter.