A mother has criticised a school fine she received after taking her 12-year-old son on a 10-day holiday to Egypt, saying the trip was "educational" and taken to help the child after a recent school move prompted by bullying.
Michelle Partington, 46, and her husband, Andrew, began the trip on June 1 and paid about £3,000 for the break, which included snorkelling, quad biking and visits to historic sites. Partington said the family chose to travel during term time because they "couldn't afford" the holiday during the official school holidays, when she said prices rose by roughly £2,000.
Partington told reporters the holiday was intended to cheer up her son, Oliver, after he switched schools in April following bullying. She said she informed the school that the absence would be an education-focused visit because of Egypt's historical sites, but that the school rejected the request for authorised leave.
"The holiday was worth it despite the fine. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and it was magical," Partington said. She described the fine as "despicable" and said the family rarely has opportunities to travel together because of work and cost constraints.
The school declined to authorise the absence, and local authorities or the school issued a penalty notice for the unauthorised time away. Partington has said she alerted the school in advance and framed the trip as an educational opportunity, but the request was refused.
The episode highlights tensions between parents who view term-time travel as providing valuable learning experiences and schools that enforce attendance policies. Partington said the switch of schools in April played a role in the timing of the trip, which she said was intended to provide family time and a break for her son after a difficult period.
Officials responsible for attendance policies did not provide comment to the family in the coverage of the dispute. Partington said she and her husband felt the cost of travelling during the official school holidays made the trip possible only during term time and that the experience justified the penalty.
The dispute has drawn attention to how schools assess requests for term-time leave when parents argue trips offer educational benefits. Partington said she considered the visit to Egypt an instructive experience given its history and attractions and described the overall holiday as "magical" for her family despite the fine.