As the UK government prepares to debate whether parents should be allowed to take their children out of school for up to 10 days during term time without facing fines, South Asian families across the country are voicing support and frustration.
For many, these trips are not about cheap holidays. They are rooted in religious duties, family responsibilities, and cultural expectations that don’t conveniently fit into the British school calendar.
Whether it’s travelling to Makkah for Umrah, attending a sibling’s wedding in Lahore, or visiting elderly grandparents in Sylhet, these are trips that hold emotional, spiritual, and cultural importance, and many families feel they shouldn’t be penalised for prioritising them.
Last year alone, over 443,000 fines were issued in England to parents who took their children out of school without permission, a 24% rise on the previous year. First-time fines start at £80 and can double to £160 if unpaid within 21 days. Repeat offences can even lead to prosecution and fines of up to £2,500.
The steep rise in fines comes amid a cost-of-living crisis that has made travelling during official school holidays unaffordable for many. According to data from Fight School Fines, the average price of a package holiday jumps by 18% during school holidays, with some destinations seeing increases of 28% or more per person.
But for South Asian communities, it’s not just about money. It’s about meaning.
“My dad had a stroke in Pakistan. We had to pay £240 for our two kids, that’s a month of groceries,” said one mother.
Many parents say they feel punished for making decisions that are in the best interests of their family and faith.
“I understand the rule, but the one-size-fits-all approach punishes those doing what’s right by their families,” a father added. “The kids can come back and cover up, especially when they are in younger classes. It should be OK.”
British schools operate on a fixed academic calendar, with holidays pegged to Christian seasonal breaks like Christmas and Easter. For many Muslim families, major events like Ramadan, Eid, and Umrah often fall during term time and fluctuate each year.
“It feels unfair that there are long holidays for Christmas and Easter but not Eid, you know?” said another parent. “And like Umrah, they wouldn’t even know what that is.”
This disconnect has left many families either paying the fines, lying to schools, or feeling guilty for participating in major life events. A recent survey revealed that more than a third of parents admitted to misleading their child’s school to avoid being penalised.
Educators often find themselves torn between enforcing attendance policies and understanding the cultural needs of their students’ families. Some say a more flexible and culturally informed approach is urgently needed.
“We teach cultural understanding in schools but when families live it, we penalise them. That contradiction is hard to ignore,” said one South Asian teacher in Bradford.
“I completely understand why some parents travel during term time, it’s cultural, or maybe to meet ailing grandparents for the kids, or weddings. But at the same time, attendance is critical. The pressure from Ofsted, performance data, and school policies means we’re stuck enforcing rules we don’t always agree with.”
While Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson insists on cracking down on “unnecessary school absences,” community leaders argue that the system needs to distinguish between truancy and tradition.
The petition to allow 10 days of authorised absence has gathered more than 181,000 signatures, triggering a Parliamentary debate. Campaigners are pushing for reform that reflects the multicultural realities of modern Britain, where family structures, faiths, and values are far more diverse than when the current system was introduced.
As the debate continues, South Asian families across the country are watching closely. For them, the outcome won’t just affect holiday plans, it will shape how welcome and understood they feel in a system that claims to be for all.
