Department For Education Ignores Business

A week into the new Government and the UK Department for Education has ignored reasonable requests from Business owners and workers to be more flexible on term time holiday bans. With the school holiday season upon us organisations are struggling with being flexible with workers desire to have a holiday with their children and the need to maintain service.

Les Frontieres has a copy of a letter from a school which states the DFE ongoing attack on working parents:

“There is no longer scope to authorise term-time holiday in any circumstance”

“Generally, the DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absences for the

purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance.”

The DfE has also changed the penalty fines for unauthorised absences, such as absences,

holidays and late to school. The new charges are as follows

“Penalty notices are issued to EACH parent of each child and the amount will be £160 if paid

within 28 days, reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.”

Despite numerous representations from Business groups, Trade Unions and many Education experts the DFE seems intent on continuing penalising working parents and carers and adding more complexity for business.

SME owners, workers and essential services are especially impacted by this policy. SME owners who are often personally very aware of their employees circumstances try to meet the understandable desire to have a holiday with family. School leaders cannot be seen to break the rules for fear of personal sanction  by the faceless, highly paid DFE managers, many of whom have no classroom experience.

The Labour party has been contacted by Les Frontieres and we will publish their response if we get one.