Schools fine parents £60 when children are late

Schools fine parents £60 when children are late

Parents could face prosecution or a £60 fine if their children are consistently late for school.  

The clampdown can see Fixed Penalty Notices of up to £60 issued per parent, per child which can double if not paid after 28 days - meaning some families could face a £240 fine if a child is 30 minutes late. 

Families are being threatened with the stringent guidelines issued by schools and councils across the West Midlands, Hampshire, Sussex and Essex.

Families are being threatened with the stringent guidelines which could see them face fines of up to £240 (file photo)

West Sussex County Council issues a Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) of £120 if a pupil is persistently late to school. This fine reduces to £60 if paid within 21 days. 

Warwickshire County Council has also warned families they will be fined if pupils are regularly more than 30 minutes late, or arrive after the register has been taken. 

Earlier this year, Winter Gardens Academy in Canvey Island, Essex, sparked outrage among some parents when it warned they would be slapped with a fine if youngsters continually arrive after 9am and miss registration.

Mrs Stalham, headteacher of Winter Gardens Academy, wrote: 'Any children arriving after 9am will be marked as late on the register as from April 1.

'Continuous late comers may be issued with a fixed penalty notice.' 

Jon Platt, 46, won earlier legal battles over a trip to Disney World in Florida. But judges sided against him, meaning schools, councils and local courts will now be obliged to enforce fines

The shock move by Catherine Stalham at Winter Gardens Academy in Canvey Island, Essex

Parents were angered by the news, although some could understand the school's frustration.

LAW ON TRUANCY 

Headteachers have been able to fine parents of regular truants under laws introduced by Labour in 2003.

The Government axed their discretionary power to allow children up to 10 days off during term time.

Now, many schools are targeting children who regularly miss registration.

As there is no clarification in the law, schools are able to mark anyone, who is not at registration in time, as absent.

In 2015, some schools in England began to fine parents £60 for lateness. The penalty can be doubled if it is not paid within 21 days, and parents who refuse to pay could be prosecuted and even jailed. 

Gary Underdone said: 'Absolutely ridiculous. It's just a money making opportunity yet again. 

'Most of the parents on Canvey are probably single mums that won't be able to afford the fine anyway.' 

Headteachers have been able to fine parents of regular truants under laws introduced by Labour in 2003.

The Government axed their discretionary power to allow children up to ten days off during term time.

In 2015, some schools in England began to fine parents £60 for lateness. 

The penalty can be doubled if it is not paid within 21 days, and parents who refuse to pay could be prosecuted and even jailed. 

Now, many schools are targeting children who regularly miss registration. 

Tom Bennett, a behaviour expert appointed by the Government to examine behaviour in schools in England, said fines should be a last resort. 

In 2015, some schools in England began to fine parents £60 for lateness (file photo)

Dean Dixon, 31, was taken to court because his daughter's school refused to allow her time off so she could attend his Greek wedding

He told The Times teenagers who were regularly late for registration should be made to walk into school with their parents.

PARENTS FINED OVER CAR ENGINES

The health watchdog said parents should be fined for leaving their car engines running outside schools.

NICE is urging councils to enforce ‘no idling zones’ around schools, hospitals and care homes to reduce harmful exhaust fumes.

It is also telling authorities to abolish speed bumps in urban areas and replace them with blanket 20mph speed limits. 

The guidelines are not legally binding, but local authorities and other organisations will be strongly encouraged to enforce them. 

Westminster council in Central London has a ‘no idling zone’ on all streets enforced by marshals who fine drivers £80 if they refuse to switch engines off.

Nearby Kensington and Chelsea council hands out fines of £20 for idling while Reading in Berkshire is consulting on a similar scheme.

But campaigners said the rules will unfairly penalise worried parents on the school run or relatives outside hospitals. 

He added: 'Most pupils would rather lose an arm than be seen walking up to school with their parents.' 

Last month a father was taken to court bec ause his daughter's school refused to allow her time off so she could attend his Greek wedding.

Father-of-three Dean Dixon, 31, was able to get time off for his two younger children, Keira, 10 and seven-year-old Freddie - ahead of his wedding to Ashley, 31, in Rhodes, Greece.

But his eldest, Katie, 12, was refused permission to attend her own father's wedding during term-time by Cox Green Secondary School, Maidenhead. 

Mr Dixon, an accounts manager from Slough - whose son Freddie was best man at his wedding - was also fined £60 for taking Katie out of school. 

He is to stand trial this month for Katie's unauthorised absence.

It follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling in April which upheld the ban on parents taking their children out of school during term-time for holidays and family events. 

Jon Platt, 46, from the Isle of Wight, won earlier legal battles over a seven-day trip to Disney World in Florida, in April 2015.

Mr Platt, 46, argued that because his daughter’s attendance was otherwise exemplary, the single week off should be permissible within the law. 

But judges sided against him, meaning schools, councils and local courts will now be obliged to enforce similar fines against parents for term-time breaks. 

FATHER'S MISSION TO TAKE ON 'UNFAIR' SCHOOL FINES  

Jon Platt, 46, argued that because his daughter’s attendance was otherwise exemplary, the single week off should be permissible within the law

• April 2015: Jon Platt refuses to pay a £60 fine to Isle of Wight Council for taking his daughter out of school on holiday to Florida
• October 16 2016: Platt successfully overturns the fine at magistrates' court after the council prosecute him
• May 13 2016: High Court judges rule in favour of Platt and Isle of Wight Council announce it will appeal the High Court's judgement in favour of Platt 
• April 6 2017: The Supreme Court upholds the council's decision to fine Platt
• June 23 2017: The case is returned to Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court, where Platt's plea of having no case to answer was rejected. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,000 costs plus a £ 20 surcharge

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