Charlotte Crouch, a 36-year-old mother of four from Exeter, Devon, has been fined £480 by Devon County Council for taking her children on a five-day holiday to Gran Canaria during term time. Despite the fine, she insists the trip was a 'no-brainer' as it saved her family £2,500 compared to going during the summer holidays.
Family holiday during term time sparks fine
Crouch and her husband withdrew their four children from school for five days to attend her father and stepmother's 25th wedding anniversary celebration in Gran Canaria on June 1. The family informed the school in advance, but the absences were marked as unauthorised. On June 30, the council issued a fine of £480 for three of the children.
Under current rules, local councils can impose a fine of £80 per parent per child for unauthorised absences. If not paid within 21 days, the fine doubles, and further non-payment can lead to prosecution.
Mother defends decision as 'educational'
Crouch, a content creator, defended the trip on Facebook, stating that it was still cheaper than a holiday during school breaks. She said: 'I think it's so wild that we can get fines for taking our kids on holidays. It was still cheaper than going in school holidays so meh.'
She described the trip as 'educational', noting that her children learned to swim and observed dolphins in the wild. 'Going on holiday you're not learning maths, English and science but it's that time away, family time. I do think family time is so important,' she said. 'Learning to swim is a life skill.'
Council maintains strict policy on term-time absences
A spokesperson for Devon County Council said: 'Schools must authorise pupils' absence during term time on a case-by-case basis, and grant leave only in exceptional circumstances. The Department for Education's guidance states that holiday is generally not considered an exceptional circumstance. We follow the national framework, which says that absences not approved by the school are treated as being unauthorised.'
Crouch criticised the fine as a 'money-making scheme' and argued that parents should not be prosecuted for taking children on holiday. 'I don't have any regrets. Time is too short. You could be here today and gone tomorrow,' she said. 'My kids are normally in school every single day. School is important but it's not the most important thing in a child's life.'
