Fines for absences at school ‘not right approach’
UNIONS HAVE called for a “period of grace” as parents were warned that they will face fines if they do not send their children back to school in September.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said yesterday a return to school will be “compulsory” and families may face financial penalties if they keep their children at home – unless here is a “good reason” for the absence.
A detailed plan on how the Government will ensure that all children in England are back in the classroom in the autumn will be set out by the end of this week, the Minister added.
But headteachers and teaching unions have urged against rushing to reintroduce fines as they say schools will need to rebuild confidence among families, rather than punish them.
Mr Williamson also suggested that the full return to school in September would not rely on social distancing in the same way as in pubs.
“It’s not about one metre, it’s not about two metres,” he told BBC Breakfast, saying that safety would be based on “reducing the number of transmission points” within schools.
Instead whole classes would become “bubbles” separated from other pupils.
On the latest plans, Mr Williamson told LBC: “It is going to be compulsory for children to return back to school unless there’s a very good reason, or a local spike where there have had to be local lockdowns.
“We do have to get back into compulsory education as part of that, obviously fines sit alongside that. Unless there is a good reason for the absence then we will be looking at the fact that we would be imposing fines on families if they are not sending their children back.”
But Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, has called for a “period of grace” before fining parents.
He said: “We don’t think that it is the right approach to fine parents for the non-attendance of children as soon as schools fully reopen in September, and the Government should not expect schools to take this action.
“There will be many frightened and anxious parents out there, and this is very much a case of building confidence that it is safe to return, rather than forcing the issue through the use of fines.”
Patrick Roach, the general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said Ministers should focus their efforts on winning the trust and confidence of parents and teachers over their school reopening plans.
And Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, added: “Working with families in a constructive and supportive way, using scientific information to address concerns, is a far better route than fining parents.
“This can often alienate the very individuals schools most need to reach out to and would always be a last resort.”