SCHOOL'S OUT
‘Holidays are way more important than school – I’ll pay the fines if you can’t afford them’ says mum-of-3 Katherine Ryan
We shared what parents can face if they take kids out of school
TAKING kids out of school to go on holidays is “definitely right”, according to Katherine Ryan.
The comedian, 40, argued that it is “much more enriching” to go away with family than it is to be in “institutionalised education.”
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Katherine shares two children, Fenna Grace, 14 months, and Fred, two, with childhood sweetheart Bobby Kootstra, and has daughter Violet 14, with ex-boyfriend Alex Edelman.
Speaking on Olivia Attwood’s podcast, , the TV star said it is “definitely right” to take kids away during term time.
She told the former Love Island star: “I think it's always right to take your children out of institutionalised education.
“I think if you can, you should just not even have them in the first place, because it is so much more enriching to be with your family and to see something and to go somewhere and to be part of that tribe.”
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TV personality Olivia, 33, replied: “I think that's a controversial one, people get very angry about this online.”
Canadian Katherine argued that holiday companies “hike up the prices of everything” when it’s not term-time, which is one reason for getting away during the school year.
She added: “If you're in a private school, they let you take your kids out whenever you want, because you're paying, but they're on a scholarship, they'll just let them go.
“And if they go to state school, they're keeping them there, why, so that like they can be custodians of the government?
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“I don’t understand. I don't get any of that.”
The mum-of-three went as far to say she will pay fines given to families who take kids out of school for trips.
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She joked: “I'm gonna start a charity foundation to pay fines for people who took their kids out of school.
“I’ll like run marathons and stuff and people are like ‘what's the charity?’”
Olivia joked: “So Sharon wants to take her kids to Centre Parcs on the cheap week.”
Currently families who take kids out of school can face penalties of up to £160 per trip.
When will higher truancy fines come into place?
THE laws - which will make clear fines should only be used where attendance interventions have failed - will kick in from August in time for the next school year starting in September.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan highlighted a “worldwide rise in absence” due to schools shutting in lockdown and worsening pupil’s mental health.
She said: “Our fantastic schools and teachers unlock children’s imagination, potential and social skills which is why improving attendance is my number one priority.”
But union bosses slammed the plans, with National Education Union leader Daniel Kebede saying fines were “not the answer”.
He said: “Especially in a cost-of-living crisis where some of those families may well be struggling to make ends meet, and this would simply plunge them into debt.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has vowed to tackle truancy which surged in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
The unauthorised absence rate for this academic year stands at around 2.2 per cent - roughly 200,200 kids who are skipping school.
I think it's always right to take your children out of institutionalised education
Katherine Ryan
The crackdown will compel all councils to consider fining parents if their child racks up five days off class without permission.
Read More on The Sun
Currently local authorities have varying policies about when to issue fixed penalty notices.
Meanwhile fines will go up from £60 to £80 if paid within three weeks, and from £120 to £160 if paid within four weeks.
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