PARENTS won’t be fined for taking kids to Spain during the half-term break and having to miss school while they quarantine, it’s understood.
The Government are said to be reluctant to fine parents for children missing school after a trip abroad over fears that it could “undermine the quarantine system.”
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Kids may have to miss school and have online learning if they’re quarantining from half-term holidays[/caption]
Spain is opening up for Brits next week – but you must still quarantine for 10 days on return[/caption]
Kids may be given remote lessons and will have to work from home while they complete their quarantine if it runs into term-time, according to sources.
Spain is allowing Brit holidaymakers to return from MONDAY without proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test – but the country is still on the UK’s amber list.
And a “grey area” has opened up on whether parents should be fined if their children are not in school after half term, education sources told the i.
Government rules state that parents can be fined if their child is “missing school without a good reason.”
Permission must be obtained from headteachers for taking children out of school during term time – with parents facing a fine of £60 each, which rises to £120 each if it not paid within 21 days.
But it is understood the Government is reluctant to back schools issuing fines because of concerns it could encourage families to break quarantine.
And schools are worried that in a bid to not be fined, children may break quarantine and come into school after picking up Covid abroad.
Schools are set to provide remote teaching to children while they complete their quarantine, the newspaper said.
After the news of Spain would be allowing Brits back in, Number 10 immediately warned people against making plans for a holiday to Spain.
Boris Johnson’s spokesman said: “Our advice hasn’t changed in regards to amber list countries.
“We have been clear that people shouldn’t be travelling to amber list countries for the purposes of holidays.”
This means that Brits must self-isolate for 10 days when returning from Spain – meaning families jetting off during half-term won’t be allowed back in classrooms until after the quarantine period.
Julie McCulloch, Association of School and College Leaders’ director of policy, said: “The Government has been quite clear in its instructions that people travelling to countries on the Department of Transport amber list will need to quarantine for a period of ten days after returning to England.
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“Tempting as it might be for parents to consider a half-term break in the sunshine, doing so in a country currently on the amber list could have severe implications for their school and college-age children.
“Having to quarantine for ten days would almost certainly result in students missing part or all of the first week back at school or college after the half-term holiday and, depending when they arrive back, as much as a week and a half.
“We do not want to see young people missing lessons, particularly after the last year of disrupted learning, and urge parents to carefully consider the implications of any foreign travel at half-term, however tempting such an idea might be.”
