Latest news with #FirstChoice
North Wales Live
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Stag and hen dos out of fashion with a new celebration taking over
Ssingle-sex hen and stag dos could be consigned to the history books, according to new research. 73 percent of Brits say the typical pre-wedding celebrations are dead, with nearly two-thirds (63 percent) saying they've even made up an excuse to avoid attending one. New research by First Choice found 85 percent of Gen Z would prefer to celebrate pre-wedding with all their friends together, rather than a traditional night out as a single-sex group. Among the most outdated aspects of a pre-marriage weekend away were hiring a stripper or butler in the buff (51 percent). Dressing the bride in L-Plates (43 percent), sexual straws (40 percent), and embarrassing pranks (34 percent) are also old fashioned, according to the survey by First Choice. Inspired by celebrities like Paris Hilton, Tom Daley and Vogue Williams, nearly half of those surveyed (43 percent) have already attended a 'STEN do', where the bride and groom celebrate together with all of their friends. But the rise of the 'STEN do' doesn't mean we're scrapping the short break away. Popular choices include cultural city breaks (47 percent), shared luxurious villas with pools (44 percent) or beach destinations (36 percent). Activities are also getting an upgrade, with fancy dinners (44 percent), spa treatments (32 percent), beach days (29 percent), and music festivals (24 percent) topping the list for Gen Z. 83 percent would consider a package or all-inclusive holiday for their 'STEN do' to cut costs, with 3 in 4 (75 percent) believing it would significantly reduce potential disagreements within the group regarding costs and logistics. Kevin Nelson, Managing Director of First Choice said, 'While the concept of a 'STEN do' has been around for some time, recent years have seen significant growth in the trend of mixed-sex friendship groups, going away to celebrate a couple's nuptials in a more wholesome way.'
Daily Mirror
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Sten-dos' are taking over traditional stag and hen dos
A new survey has revealed that nearly three-quarters (73%) of Brits believe traditional stag and hen dos are outdated, with the majority of people saying they would prefer to celebrate with all their friends together Strip clubs, novelty and L-plates on stag and hen-dos are becoming extinct as joint send-offs surge in popularity. Fresh research reveals younger generations are ditching traditional bachelor and bachelorette-style festivities. Instead, "sten-dos" - a combined stag and hen celebration - are rising in trend as couples-to-be enjoy their final nights of being single together. A whopping 73% of Brits declared the old-fashioned pre-wedding bashes were now old two-thirds of invitees admitted fabricating excuses to dodge attending one, reports the Daily Star. The First Choice study discovered 85% of Gen Z would rather party with all their mates together instead of splitting into single-sex groups. Roughly 83% would contemplate a package or all-inclusive break to slash expenses, with latest statistics showing guests fork out an eye-watering £538 for stag and hen celebrations. Kevin Nelson, the managing director of First Choice, commented: "While the concept of a 'Sten do' has been around for some time, recent years have seen significant growth in the trend of mixed-sex friendship groups, going away to celebrate a couple's nuptials in a more wholesome way. "At First Choice, we believe in creating the perfect trip for you, whether that's sprawling self-serve villas, serene spa hotels to vibrant city breaks with culinary adventures – we can package together your flights, accommodation and all of the amazing stuff you do while you're there at a great price to ensure every couple can celebrate their own way." Freelance Beauty and Fashion PR specialist, Jade, shared her own sten do experience in the Lake District. She said: "Forget the usual L-plates and pub crawls – my recent 'sten do' redefined pre-nuptial celebrations, proving that combining Stag and Hen parties can lead to a truly unique, cost-effective, and deeply connected experience."
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Meet the ‘SAS' parents saving thousands on summer holidays by taking kids out of school early… and even risking JAIL
DROPPING her two daughters off at school, Wendy Nicholls* sensed an eerie quiet at the gates. Gone is the usual rabble of stressed parents dispatching their children, while the class WhatsApp group is conspicuously quiet. 5 Carrie Ann Booth, 43, reveals she's saved £1,500 by going on holiday during the last week of term Credit: Dan Prince 5 Paulomi Debnath, 45, received a £120 fine after taking her son out of school to save £1,200 on a family trip to Kos, Greece 5 Kids who stay in class are said to have better grades and confidence Credit: Getty At pick-up time, the youngest of her two daughters, aged five and eight, tells her that lessons have hardly any kids in them. No, this isn't a flashback to the dark days of Covid. This is what the final week of school looks like in 2025, when the We have entered the era of SAS – Skiving And Saving – parenting , says mum Wendy, and office worker from Derby, as she tells The Sun why families are totally unfazed by term-time fines... AS someone who sticks to the rules, I've booked a week-long holiday in a five-bed ramshackle cottage with my husband Bobby, a truck driver, in Cornwall. Costing an eye-watering £2,000, I can't help feeling like a mug. My little ones' pals, meanwhile, are enjoying a week in Turkey – while school is on – for a fraction of the cost. A quick web search on popular holiday website First Choice reveals prices start at around £1568 per person for a seven night all inclusive holiday for a family of four in Turkey in the week before schools break up - and the lowest price you can get two weeks later for the same break is £2072 . And while I'm looking forward to my English seaside trip, it rankles that my potentially soggy beach days will cost more than their sun-soaked, free bar-fuelled ones. A recent study found that parents have saved an average £567 by taking their kids out of school during term time. The same report by states that 16 per cent of families scored a term-time offer that was over £1,000 cheaper than travelling in peak summer. My daughter is never going to school because our eight family holidays per year are more important - parents who only take trips during the official breaks are 'utter muppets' But while bagging a hot holiday deal seems tempting, fines for unauthorised term-time absences in England and Scotland are now £80 per child – and per parent – if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days. Repeated fines can lead to a potential fine of up to £2,500, or even a jail sentence. But parents are clearly not put off by the fines, as in the 2023/24 academic year, 487,344 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised absences – a 22 per cent increase from 2022/23. I'm so angry about this whole system. It feels like a tax on people with constrained budgets. Carrie Ann Booth 'SAS' mum One parent who is unfazed by the fines is Carrie Ann Booth, 43. The mum-of-one from Carlisle, Cumbria, who is married, says: 'We saved £1,500 by taking my daughter out of school and going on holiday during the last week of term. 'We're going on a two-week cruise around Europe, visiting Rome, 'For us, it's about the history, the art, the culture and languages my daughter will soak up. 'She would certainly not get that in school during the last week of term, when it is lots of drawing and reflecting on the year.' Despite saving big, Carrie Ann, a former teacher and now the owner of an educational business, The Science Booth, says the fines are unfair. 'I've been fined £160 – £80 per parent – for taking my nine-year-old daughter on our holiday of a lifetime,' she says. 'I'm so angry about this whole system. It feels like a tax on people with constrained budgets. 'I tried to find a way to skip the fine, but the only exemptions included home educating my daughter. I seriously considered de-registering my daughter from school – just for a week – saying she'd be officially home-educated. But I worried she'd lose her place for the September term.' But Rachel Vecht, 51 , a former teacher from central London, who founded the parent support group Educating Matters, warns that prolonged gaps in school attendance have a 'Missing school even sporadically can impact long-term learning, resulting in poor grades,' she explains. 'It can also impact children's self-esteem and mental wellbeing if they return to school and feel like they are far behind their peers academically.' 5 Families face hefty fines for taking holidays during term Credit: Getty 5 Rachel Vecht warns that prolonged gaps in school attendance have a major impact on learning Credit: Supplied School attendance: the law In the UK, children are legally required to be in some form of education from the school term after their 5th birthday until the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16. They must attend school or be otherwise educated – such as through home education – during that period. You can be prosecuted if you do not give your child an education. You will normally receive warnings – including fines – and offers of help from the local council first. Children can be absent from school if they are either too ill to attend, or have advance permission. Quality time Mum-of-one Paulomi Debnath, 45, from Romford, east London, downplays the negative impact taking kids out of school might have. 'I want to set a good example to my son, 14, about not breaking rules, but I also want him to experience different countries,' says Paulomi, an artist who owns the jewellery company Handmade By Tinni. 'I saved £1,200 on a family holiday to Kos, Greece two years ago, just by taking my son, then 12, out of school one week early. 'But I have not done this since, as I was threatened with legal action in the school's 'telling off' letter that accompanied our £120 fine. The note said I could be prosecuted if I took my son out of school again in the next three years.' Teachers are also stuck with expensive, out-of-term-time holidays Alice Abraham Teacher As I drag my two little girls to school, the sense that I'm one of the few mugs taking their kids on holiday at the official time is confirmed by primary teacher Alice Abraham, 41. 'Classrooms are empty,' she tells me. 'There is hardly any point being there as the kids have clocked off mentally, ready for their summer holidays. 'Teachers are also stuck with expensive, out-of-term-time holidays.' Switched-on parents are embracing the challenge of getting cheap holidays. They are also wising up to the fact that councils across England have differing rules. Retail worker Louise Brown, 35, who has two sons aged 18 and 15, says: 'My 15-year-old's attendance throughout the year is over 95 per cent, so I never feel guilty about taking him out at the end of a school term for family holidays. 'Every year, I flout a school rule loophole that states we can never take our child out of school for longer than five days – after five days, the school would issue a fine. Four days away from school isn't the end of the world Louise Brown 'So I book a holiday right at the end of the school year, or close to half term, saving around £1000 on the cost of a two-week holiday – even though a week of our break overlaps with the school holidays when prices shoot up.' Louise, who is married to Brian, 48, who works in retail and lives in Leeds, West Yorkshire, also doesn't believe short absences have an impact on education. 'Families need quality time together,' she says. 'Four days away from school isn't the end of the world.' While I might feel like the only parent NOT taking my children on holiday during the last week of school, it looks like more parents may be forced to follow my lead in coming years. Family law solicitor Kaleel Anwar, of Slater Heelis, warns that missing the last week of the term doesn't make a large fine less likely. 'Families are going to have to accept that in the near future, they are not going to be able to get a cheap holiday during term time,' he says. He adds: "We've already seen a big clamp down form the government in terms of fines recently. "At the moment, families are still saving quite a considerable amount of money by paying the fines in comparison to the thousands they save on holidays. "I think we will see them clamp down even further with higher fines if the rate of school absences continues to stay high. 'And it is worth remembering you cannot generally 'fight' a fine for taking a holiday during term time in the same way you might challenge a parking ticket. 'You can attempt to have the notice withdrawn by contacting the school and providing evidence that supports your case, but if the fine is upheld and not paid, you could face prosecution.' With the threat of prosecution, plus the dirty look I'd get from the headteacher, I think I'll take an outrageously expensive staycation over a humiliating court appearance. * Some names have been changed
Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Meet the ‘SAS' parents saving thousands on summer holidays by taking kids out of school early… and even risking JAIL
Bagging a holiday deal by taking your kids out of school seems tempting... but unauthorised term-time absences can lead to penalties from fines to a jail sentence Bagging a holiday deal by taking your kids out of school seems tempting... but unauthorised term-time absences can lead to penalties from fines to a jail sentence NO KIDDING Meet the 'SAS' parents saving thousands on summer holidays by taking kids out of school early… and even risking JAIL DROPPING her two daughters off at school, Wendy Nicholls* sensed an eerie quiet at the gates. Gone is the usual rabble of stressed parents dispatching their children, while the class WhatsApp group is conspicuously quiet. Advertisement 5 Carrie Ann Booth, 43, reveals she's saved £1,500 by going on holiday during the last week of term Credit: Dan Prince 5 Paulomi Debnath, 45, received a £120 fine after taking her son out of school to save £1,200 on a family trip to Kos, Greece 5 Kids who stay in class are said to have better grades and confidence Credit: Getty At pick-up time, the youngest of her two daughters, aged five and eight, tells her that lessons have hardly any kids in them. No, this isn't a flashback to the dark days of Covid. Advertisement This is what the final week of school looks like in 2025, when the term-time getaway trend sees a wave of parents pulling their children out of class for a cheaper holiday – costing a fraction of the price compared to during the six-week summer break. We have entered the era of SAS – Skiving And Saving – parenting, says mum Wendy, and office worker from Derby, as she tells The Sun why families are totally unfazed by term-time fines... AS someone who sticks to the rules, I've booked a week-long holiday in a five-bed ramshackle cottage with my husband Bobby, a truck driver, in Cornwall. Costing an eye-watering £2,000, I can't help feeling like a mug. My little ones' pals, meanwhile, are enjoying a week in Turkey – while school is on – for a fraction of the cost. A quick web search on popular holiday website First Choice reveals prices start at around £1568 per person for a seven night all inclusive holiday for a family of four in Turkey in the week before schools break up - and the lowest price you can get two weeks later for the same break is £2072. Advertisement And while I'm looking forward to my English seaside trip, it rankles that my potentially soggy beach days will cost more than their sun-soaked, free bar-fuelled ones. A recent study found that parents have saved an average £567 by taking their kids out of school during term time. The same report by states that 16 per cent of families scored a term-time offer that was over £1,000 cheaper than travelling in peak summer. My daughter is never going to school because our eight family holidays per year are more important - parents who only take trips during the official breaks are 'utter muppets' But while bagging a hot holiday deal seems tempting, fines for unauthorised term-time absences in England and Scotland are now £80 per child – and per parent – if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days. Repeated fines can lead to a potential fine of up to £2,500, or even a jail sentence. Advertisement But parents are clearly not put off by the fines, as in the 2023/24 academic year, 487,344 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised absences – a 22 per cent increase from 2022/23. I'm so angry about this whole system. It feels like a tax on people with constrained budgets. Carrie Ann Booth One parent who is unfazed by the fines is Carrie Ann Booth, 43. The mum-of-one from Carlisle, Cumbria, who is married, says: 'We saved £1,500 by taking my daughter out of school and going on holiday during the last week of term. 'We're going on a two-week cruise around Europe, visiting Rome, Florence and Barcelona after saving up for two years. 'For us, it's about the history, the art, the culture and languages my daughter will soak up. Advertisement 'She would certainly not get that in school during the last week of term, when it is lots of drawing and reflecting on the year.' Despite saving big, Carrie Ann, a former teacher and now the owner of an educational business, The Science Booth, says the fines are unfair. 'I've been fined £160 – £80 per parent – for taking my nine-year-old daughter on our holiday of a lifetime,' she says. 'I'm so angry about this whole system. It feels like a tax on people with constrained budgets. 'I tried to find a way to skip the fine, but the only exemptions included home educating my daughter. I seriously considered de-registering my daughter from school – just for a week – saying she'd be officially home-educated. But I worried she'd lose her place for the September term.' Advertisement But Rachel Vecht, 51 , a former teacher from central London, who founded the parent support group Educating Matters, warns that prolonged gaps in school attendance have a major impact on learning. 'Missing school even sporadically can impact long-term learning, resulting in poor grades,' she explains. 'It can also impact children's self-esteem and mental wellbeing if they return to school and feel like they are far behind their peers academically.' 5 Families face hefty fines for taking holidays during term Credit: Getty 5 Rachel Vecht warns that prolonged gaps in school attendance have a major impact on learning Credit: Supplied Advertisement School attendance: the law In the UK, children are legally required to be in some form of education from the school term after their 5th birthday until the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16. They must attend school or be otherwise educated – such as through home education – during that period. You can be prosecuted if you do not give your child an education. You will normally receive warnings – including fines – and offers of help from the local council first. Children can be absent from school if they are either too ill to attend, or have advance permission. Quality time Mum-of-one Paulomi Debnath, 45, from Romford, east London, downplays the negative impact taking kids out of school might have. 'I want to set a good example to my son, 14, about not breaking rules, but I also want him to experience different countries,' says Paulomi, an artist who owns the jewellery company Handmade By Tinni. 'I saved £1,200 on a family holiday to Kos, Greece two years ago, just by taking my son, then 12, out of school one week early. 'But I have not done this since, as I was threatened with legal action in the school's 'telling off' letter that accompanied our £120 fine. The note said I could be prosecuted if I took my son out of school again in the next three years.' Teachers are also stuck with expensive, out-of-term-time holidays Alice Abraham As I drag my two little girls to school, the sense that I'm one of the few mugs taking their kids on holiday at the official time is confirmed by primary teacher Alice Abraham, 41. Advertisement 'Classrooms are empty,' she tells me. 'There is hardly any point being there as the kids have clocked off mentally, ready for their summer holidays. 'Teachers are also stuck with expensive, out-of-term-time holidays.' Switched-on parents are embracing the challenge of getting cheap holidays. They are also wising up to the fact that councils across England have differing rules. Retail worker Louise Brown, 35, who has two sons aged 18 and 15, says: 'My 15-year-old's attendance throughout the year is over 95 per cent, so I never feel guilty about taking him out at the end of a school term for family holidays. 'Every year, I flout a school rule loophole that states we can never take our child out of school for longer than five days – after five days, the school would issue a fine. Advertisement Four days away from school isn't the end of the world Louise Brown 'So I book a holiday right at the end of the school year, or close to half term, saving around £1000 on the cost of a two-week holiday – even though a week of our break overlaps with the school holidays when prices shoot up.' Louise, who is married to Brian, 48, who works in retail and lives in Leeds, West Yorkshire, also doesn't believe short absences have an impact on education. 'Families need quality time together,' she says. 'Four days away from school isn't the end of the world.' While I might feel like the only parent NOT taking my children on holiday during the last week of school, it looks like more parents may be forced to follow my lead in coming years. Family law solicitor Kaleel Anwar, of Slater Heelis, warns that missing the last week of the term doesn't make a large fine less likely. Advertisement 'Families are going to have to accept that in the near future, they are not going to be able to get a cheap holiday during term time,' he says. He adds: "We've already seen a big clamp down form the government in terms of fines recently. "At the moment, families are still saving quite a considerable amount of money by paying the fines in comparison to the thousands they save on holidays. "I think we will see them clamp down even further with higher fines if the rate of school absences continues to stay high. 'And it is worth remembering you cannot generally 'fight' a fine for taking a holiday during term time in the same way you might challenge a parking ticket. Advertisement 'You can attempt to have the notice withdrawn by contacting the school and providing evidence that supports your case, but if the fine is upheld and not paid, you could face prosecution.' With the threat of prosecution, plus the dirty look I'd get from the headteacher, I think I'll take an outrageously expensive staycation over a humiliating court appearance.
The Sun
16-07-2025
- The Sun
Meet the ‘SAS' parents saving thousands on summer holidays by taking kids out of school early… and even risking JAIL
DROPPING her two daughters off at school, Wendy Nicholls* sensed an eerie quiet at the gates. Gone is the usual rabble of stressed parents dispatching their children, while the class WhatsApp group is conspicuously quiet. 5 5 At pick-up time, the youngest of her two daughters, aged five and eight, tells her that lessons have hardly any kids in them. No, this isn't a flashback to the dark days of Covid. This is what the final week of school looks like in 2025, when the term-time getaway trend sees a wave of parents pulling their children out of class for a cheaper holiday – costing a fraction of the price compared to during the six-week summer break. We have entered the era of SAS – Skiving And Saving – parenting, says mum Wendy, and office worker from Derby, as she tells The Sun why families are totally unfazed by term-time fines... AS someone who sticks to the rules, I've booked a week-long holiday in a five-bed ramshackle cottage with my husband Bobby, a truck driver, in Cornwall. Costing an eye-watering £2,000, I can't help feeling like a mug. My little ones' pals, meanwhile, are enjoying a week in Turkey – while school is on – for a fraction of the cost. A quick web search on popular holiday website First Choice reveals prices start at around £1568 per person for a seven night all inclusive holiday for a family of four in Turkey in the week before schools break up - and the lowest price you can get two weeks later for the same break is £2072. And while I'm looking forward to my English seaside trip, it rankles that my potentially soggy beach days will cost more than their sun-soaked, free bar-fuelled ones. A recent study found that parents have saved an average £567 by taking their kids out of school during term time. The same report by states that 16 per cent of families scored a term-time offer that was over £1,000 cheaper than travelling in peak summer. My daughter is never going to school because our eight family holidays per year are more important - parents who only take trips during the official breaks are 'utter muppets' But while bagging a hot holiday deal seems tempting, fines for unauthorised term-time absences in England and Scotland are now £80 per child – and per parent – if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days. Repeated fines can lead to a potential fine of up to £2,500, or even a jail sentence. But parents are clearly not put off by the fines, as in the 2023/24 academic year, 487,344 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised absences – a 22 per cent increase from 2022/23. I'm so angry about this whole system. It feels like a tax on people with constrained budgets. Carrie Ann Booth'SAS' mum One parent who is unfazed by the fines is Carrie Ann Booth, 43. The mum-of-one from Carlisle, Cumbria, who is married, says: 'We saved £1,500 by taking my daughter out of school and going on holiday during the last week of term. 'We're going on a two-week cruise around Europe, visiting Rome, Florence and Barcelona after saving up for two years. 'For us, it's about the history, the art, the culture and languages my daughter will soak up. 'She would certainly not get that in school during the last week of term, when it is lots of drawing and reflecting on the year.' Despite saving big, Carrie Ann, a former teacher and now the owner of an educational business, The Science Booth, says the fines are unfair. 'I've been fined £160 – £80 per parent – for taking my nine-year-old daughter on our holiday of a lifetime,' she says. 'I'm so angry about this whole system. It feels like a tax on people with constrained budgets. 'I tried to find a way to skip the fine, but the only exemptions included home educating my daughter. I seriously considered de-registering my daughter from school – just for a week – saying she'd be officially home-educated. But I worried she'd lose her place for the September term.' But Rachel Vecht, 51 , a former teacher from central London, who founded the parent support group Educating Matters, warns that prolonged gaps in school attendance have a major impact on learning. 'Missing school even sporadically can impact long-term learning, resulting in poor grades,' she explains. 'It can also impact children's self-esteem and mental wellbeing if they return to school and feel like they are far behind their peers academically.' 5 5 School attendance: the law In the UK, children are legally required to be in some form of education from the school term after their 5th birthday until the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16. They must attend school or be otherwise educated – such as through home education – during that period. You can be prosecuted if you do not give your child an education. You will normally receive warnings – including fines – and offers of help from the local council first. Children can be absent from school if they are either too ill to attend, or have advance permission. Quality time Mum-of-one Paulomi Debnath, 45, from Romford, east London, downplays the negative impact taking kids out of school might have. 'I want to set a good example to my son, 14, about not breaking rules, but I also want him to experience different countries,' says Paulomi, an artist who owns the jewellery company Handmade By Tinni. 'I saved £1,200 on a family holiday to Kos, Greece two years ago, just by taking my son, then 12, out of school one week early. 'But I have not done this since, as I was threatened with legal action in the school's 'telling off' letter that accompanied our £120 fine. The note said I could be prosecuted if I took my son out of school again in the next three years.' As I drag my two little girls to school, the sense that I'm one of the few mugs taking their kids on holiday at the official time is confirmed by primary teacher Alice Abraham, 41. 'Classrooms are empty,' she tells me. 'There is hardly any point being there as the kids have clocked off mentally, ready for their summer holidays. 'Teachers are also stuck with expensive, out-of-term-time holidays.' Switched-on parents are embracing the challenge of getting cheap holidays. They are also wising up to the fact that councils across England have differing rules. Retail worker Louise Brown, 35, who has two sons aged 18 and 15, says: 'My 15-year-old's attendance throughout the year is over 95 per cent, so I never feel guilty about taking him out at the end of a school term for family holidays. 'Every year, I flout a school rule loophole that states we can never take our child out of school for longer than five days – after five days, the school would issue a fine. Four days away from school isn't the end of the world Louise Brown 'So I book a holiday right at the end of the school year, or close to half term, saving around £1000 on the cost of a two-week holiday – even though a week of our break overlaps with the school holidays when prices shoot up.' Louise, who is married to Brian, 48, who works in retail and lives in Leeds, West Yorkshire, also doesn't believe short absences have an impact on education. 'Families need quality time together,' she says. 'Four days away from school isn't the end of the world.' While I might feel like the only parent NOT taking my children on holiday during the last week of school, it looks like more parents may be forced to follow my lead in coming years. Family law solicitor Kaleel Anwar, of Slater Heelis, warns that missing the last week of the term doesn't make a large fine less likely. 'Families are going to have to accept that in the near future, they are not going to be able to get a cheap holiday during term time,' he says. He adds: "We've already seen a big clamp down form the government in terms of fines recently. "At the moment, families are still saving quite a considerable amount of money by paying the fines in comparison to the thousands they save on holidays. "I think we will see them clamp down even further with higher fines if the rate of school absences continues to stay high. 'And it is worth remembering you cannot generally 'fight' a fine for taking a holiday during term time in the same way you might challenge a parking ticket. 'You can attempt to have the notice withdrawn by contacting the school and providing evidence that supports your case, but if the fine is upheld and not paid, you could face prosecution.' With the threat of prosecution, plus the dirty look I'd get from the headteacher, I think I'll take an outrageously expensive staycation over a humiliating court appearance.
