Since the start of the school year in September, Wokingham Borough Council has issued 700 penalty notices to parents for unauthorised absences from school.
Last week saw a spate of cases at Reading Magistrates Court where Wokingham Borough Council had been forced to take action against parents and guardians.
Cllr Prue Bray, Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for children’s services, told Wokingham Today: “The recent cases that went to Reading Magistrates Court were, like most court cases, connected to unpaid fines for unauthorised holiday during term time.
“Parents are made aware by schools that they may be fined if they take their child out of school without authorisation.
“In the 2022 to 2023 school year, we issued 1,241 penalty notices with 18 prosecutions for non-payment. So far this school year, we have issued 700 with 20 at varying stages of prosecution.
“We can also prosecute parents if their child’s persistent unauthorised absence from school, however, prosecution is a last resort once all options to support families have been exhausted.”
She added that during the 2022 to 2023 school year there were four prosecutions and so far, this school year there has been one.
She said: “Schools are vital to children’s development, not only with their education but also their wellbeing, being exposed to people, culture and customs that they may not in other parts of their life, and spending time with friends and teachers.”
