Now parents face £60 fine if pupils are late

Ministers back plans to allow schools to issue penalties if children are persistently late to class

MINISTERS have backed the introduction of fines for parents whose children are repeatedly late for school.

Councils and schools in the West Midlands, Hampshire and Essex, have extended £60 fixed penalties they issue for pupils who go on holiday during term time to cases of consistent lateness.

Families have been told they could be prosecuted if they fail to pay the fine after 28 days. Last night, the Government said it was right that schools monitor pupils’ lateness and “address it” where it becomes a concern.

Warwickshire county council has issued guidance to inform parents it will fine families whose children repeatedly arrive more than 30 minutes after the register is taken.

Winter Gardens Academy in Essex has also told parents they can be could be hit with £60 fines, which will double if not paid within 21 days. Announcing the measure in January, Catherine Stalham, the head of the Academy, defended the policy in the face of opposition from local families who said the move was “ridiculous”.

She said the policy, which came into force on April 1, was designed to ensure that pupils “get the best possible education”.

“This system is not unique to our school and has been in place for some time,” she said. “Fixed penalty notices are only ever a last resort and we have never had to pursue such action for lateness alone.” Local authorities across the country have the power to set guidelines for issuing fines for schools in their area, including academies and free schools.

According to the rules, parents can only allow a child to miss school if they are ill, or if they have received permission in advance from the school.

Previously head teachers could grant 10 days of authorised absence but now they are unable to grant any, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

If parents fail to pay the £60 after 28 days, they may be prosecuted for a child’s absence and could be fined up to £2,500 or receive a jail sentence of three months.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Pupils being punctual to lessons not only benefits their learning but also helps them develop core skills which will stand them in good stead for future employment.

“It is right that schools monitor patterns of lateness and address it where it becomes a concern. It is a matter for individual schools to decide when to close their register and take action as needed, provided it is in line with the local authority’s code of conduct.” Tom Bennett, a government adviser on behaviour, has suggested that parents should consider walking their children to school. “Most pupils would rather lose an arm than be seen walking up to school with their parents,” he told The Sunday Times, adding that fines could be a last resort if schools introduce sanctions to improve punctuality.

Mr Bennett said schools could punish children by asking them to remove chewing gum spots and clean classroom floors before school.

But he also admitted that he was late for school every day in the years he was studying for his exams.