Repeat term-time holiday mum fears £1k fine

A mother of four fears she will be fined just under £1,000 for taking her children out of school for a second time to go on holiday.

Hannah, 34, who runs beach cafe The Boathouse at North Landing in Bridlington, was fined £480 for taking her children out of school in 2025, and had them off for a holiday again last month.

She said: "The council need to understand that for some workers, such as people in hospitality or NHS workers, we can't just take time off during the summer holidays."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said term-time holidays "place the burden on teachers to support missed learning and affect the entire class."

Despite being fined for a term-time holiday in 2025, which she said she had paid, Hannah, who lives in Flamborough, took her children out of school again to go to Greece in September.

She fears another fine would be doubled to £960, due to taking them out of school twice.

The government states that local councils can issue parents a fine of £80 per child for missing school, rising to £160 if they received a second fine within three years.

Parents could also be taken to court for keeping their child out of school if the fine was not paid within 28 days.

Hannah explained why she felt taking her children out of school during term time for a holiday was still worth it.

"When we sat on the plane, we saw our two-year-old Tommy being so excited with a huge smile on his face – it was all worth it.

"The chaos of life can be so much, this was just a chance for the kids to experience things slowing down and just being with us as a family again," she said.

Hannah runs the family beach cafe in Bridlington, while her husband works as a fisherman on the Yorkshire Coast.

She said: "September is the first time we can get away. If I could go on holiday in the summer, then I would."

Hannah's husband Tom, 37, added: "Taking your child on holiday is not only important to spend time as a family, but it also broadens their horizons.

"Hospitality and fishing is a seasonal occupation, for us we earn the majority of our money in July and August.

"We can't not open otherwise we wouldn't be able to survive through the winter."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Hannah has now written to Charlie Dewhirst, Conservative MP for Bridlington and The Wolds, appealing for the council to change its approach.

She is calling for more lenience towards working families, particularly those working in the tourist industry.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: "Since setting our attendance target, we have recovered 4.4 million days in school, and are working with parents, schools, local authorities and health services to go further.

"Alongside this, fixed penalty notices continue to have a vital place in our system, so everyone is held accountable for ensuring children are in school."

Whilst East Riding of Yorkshire Council said it could not discuss the specific case, a spokesperson explained: "Schools and the local authority work with families to improve school attendance and ensure children get the most from their education journey.

"Penalty notice fines are issued if a pupil misses 10 consecutive sessions for the purpose of a holiday."

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