EIGHT parents were convicted of failing to ensure their children regularly attended school in a joint hearing at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court.
Across the eight cases, parents were collectively ordered to pay more than £5,700.
Rachel Dickinson, Barnsley Council’s executive director for people, said: “Barnsley Council and the magistrates’ court take unauthorised absence from school seriously; all the parents fined took the holiday despite the schools not authorising the absence.
“They also did not pay the initial penalty fine imposed of £60 per child, or the increased amount of £120 per child.
“This resulted in the parents being prosecuted for the unauthorised absence.
“We want to improve attendance levels across the borough to enable children and young people to have the best chance to fulfil their potential.
“Once a child starts school, parents and carers are responsible for making sure that they attend regularly and are not taken out of school unnecessarily.”
Due to legal reasons the parents cannot be identified. Three parents were fined £440 for taking their child out of school, £120 court costs and a victim surcharge of £44, a total amount of £604.
Three parents were charged £880 for taking two children out of school, £120 court costs and a victim surcharge of £88, a total amount of £1,088.
One parent pleaded guilty by post and was fined £295, £120 court costs and victim surcharge of £30 - a total of £445 - and the final parent attended court and pleaded guilty.
The court gave credit for their guilty plea and noted their personal circumstances and was fined £80, a court cost of £120 and a victim surcharge £30 - a total amount of £230.
