TWICE as many mums and dads are being fined for taking their children out of school during term-time since tough new laws were introduced.
The city council has handed out 164 fines of £120 each since the start of the school year in September.
At that rate, the Post predicts, it will reach around 700 fines by the end of the summer term.
In the whole of the last academic year, from September 2012 to July this year, 338 were given out.
In the area covered by Notts County Council, 29 fines have been dished out, in comparison to 84 in the whole of 2012-13. Many of them are for parents taking their children out of lessons to go on holiday.
Up until this academic year, head teachers could use their discretion to decide whether or not children should have up to ten days off to take a family holiday during term-time.
Under the new law, head teachers are duty bound to report parents who break the rules, except in "exceptional circumstances".
Nottingham schools chief Councillor David Mellen said the city council believed the new stance was necessary.
He said: "We know that time children spend out of planned lessons is detrimental to their learning. Our job is to give children in Nottingham the best possible start in life and we are determined to fulfil that responsibility. Unfortunately, children missing school is so serious that we have to have these stringent measures in place to ensure maximum attendance."
The fines of £120 are handed out per parent, per child. This means that if a mum and dad take their two children out of school during term-time, they will face a £480 fine.
Payment within 28 days means they will get a 50 per cent discount. However, they will face court action and a much larger fine if they don't pay at all.
One Top Valley mum who has been fined but did not want to be named, believes the punishment is too harsh.
The 28-year-old said: "It feels over the top to me. I don't believe taking your child out during the first or last week of the school year has a huge impact because they don't usually do a huge amount of learning."
But Paul Spencer, 35, of Wollaton, who has children at two city schools, feels it is important that youngsters are in school as often as possible.
"I haven't and wouldn't taken my children out of school for a holiday," he said. "If they miss some time, they are in danger of falling behind in their work."
Have you been fined for taking your child out of school? E-mail marcus.boocock@nottinghampost.com