Jump in parental fines for taking term-time holidays

There has been a sharp rise in the number of fines issued to parents for taking their children out of school in term time.

BBC research shows there has been a 70% increase in fines for term-time absences since new government regulations came into force in September, removing discretionary powers for head teachers to grant absence.

Some of the fines related to truancy or repeated poor attendance, but most were about holidays.

Alex Forsyth reports.

Correction 27 August 2014: This page has been amended to clarify that the 70% figure applied to overall absences and not just those for holidays.