'Let us take our kids on holiday in school time'

Mum Natalie Elliott is campaigning for families to be allowed to go away during term time without fear of being fined

- WORDS: KATE SKELTON

An outraged mum-of-two who has spearheaded a national campaign against school holiday fines and organised a petition backed by nearly 150,000 signatures says the government's school attendance crackdown is “reckless, punitive and negligible — and is criminalising parents”.

Natalie Elliott, 37, from Marehay, Derbyshire, launched her petition to allow term-time holidays after her request to take her daughter Evie, who is autistic, out of school for two days for respite was put down as an unauthorised absence. Natalie says Evie, nine, struggles to go on holiday during the peak season because venues are too busy and overwhelming, so Natalie believes parents should be allowed to have 10 days per year during the school term on which they can go on family trips.

Natalie’s Fight School Fines petition has more than 149,000 signatures so far and is due to be debated in parliament later this month. In recent months, the determined campaigner has organised protests across the country and written an open letter to all MPs asking for their backing.

Criminal convictions