Defiant couple who took son, 10, out of school in term-time for family wedding face court fight after refusing to pay £60 fine
Ross and Samantha Woodland now face being fined up to £1,000 by magistrates after being summonsed over ten-year-old Ewan's unauthorised absence
A DEFIANT couple say they are prepared to go to court rather than pay a £60 fine imposed after they took their son out of school for a family wedding.
Ross and Samantha Woodland now face being fined up to £1,000 by magistrates on Friday after being summonsed over ten-year-old Ewan's unauthorised absence.
They were slapped with the statutory fine of £60 after taking the pupil out of lessons at Reynolds Primary Academy in Cleethorpes, Lincs, to attend a pagan wedding at the Ring of Brodgar on the Orkney Islands.
They refused to pay, arguing the absence was for an important family occasion - not a "cheap holiday".
Ex-serviceman Ross, who received a Queen's commendation for his 15-year stint in the RAF, said: "A wedding is part of life that schools cannot teach.
"We put in the relevant paperwork for approval for leave of absence. But they did not see it as an exceptional circumstance.
"They said it was part of their policy. They say absence will only be authorised if it is rare, significant, unavoidable and short.
"I expect weddings to come under that context as there is no way we can decide when our relatives hold their weddings.
"And one of the weddings was 700 miles away, so it is going to take a few days. It is also a significant event in our eyes."
RELATED STORIES
Ross said parents who persistently fail to ensure their kids go to school should be prosecuted.
Bu the added: "Our son has a 94 per cent attendance. He has certificates for being star of the week, success in his maths challenge and reading challenge.
"How is it a couple of people can dictate how you run your life when you do take your lad to school?
"Having served in the military I have missed my son's first words, his first steps, birthdays and anniversaries."
A penalty notice appeared on the couple's doorstep in July but Ross says he never heard a word from the school nor its bosses - the Tollbar Multi-Academy Trust - or Lincolnshire council.
Ross, of Cleethorpes, added: "In all that time there has been no investigation and no request to interview us. If it is bad enough to go for a prosecution you would expect to be called in.
"But we do not believe we have done anything wrong. A wedding is an important event. It is not like we are taking him away on a cheap holiday. This was a one off."
Supporters of the family have set up an online campaign that has attracted hundreds of signatures.
Ross is also adamant that the case is a done deal following another dad's High Court win last year.
Jon Platt and his wife Sally, who refused to pay a £120 fine for taking their daughter on a seven-day holiday to Disneyland, took the Isle of Wight education authority to court.
Judges ruled it was not an offence to take children out of school outside of holidays and local authorities have to look at a child's overall attendance record.
Councils dropped dozens of prosecutions following the landmark ruling, but the Department for Education has appealed to the Supreme Court in a case that could criminalise law-abiding families across Britain.
A spokeswoman for Tollbar said: "Tollbar Multi Academy Trust, of which Reynolds Academy is a member, clearly defines its policy on student absences in line with Department of Education recommendations.
"Parents or carers do not have the right to withdraw a student from the Academy to go on holiday or for any other reason during term-time.
"We, therefore, ask for parents' support by ensuring that requests for leave of absence in term-time are made only in truly exceptional circumstances.
"As is clearly stated in our academy policy and listed on our websites, The Education Welfare Service must be informed of unauthorised absences and will take appropriate action, which could include a Penalty Notice or prosecution.
"Tollbar Multi Academy Trust believes that there is a strong link between student absence and the results that they achieve.
"Every lesson matters and children who have time off often find it difficult to catch up."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368