Fine from school

[onemoresmartie]

Hi everyone

Posting here for traffic....do you know if there is a time scale of how long the school has to issue a fine

I took ds out of school in June for a week to go on holiday and got the fine in the post 3 days ago

I thought I had got away with it...surely they can't do it 6 months later??

Any one know or do I have to suck it up and pay it? 😬

Firstly schools cannot issue fines - they can refer you to the local authority who may issue a penalty notice, but only courts can fine you!

Secondly there is no time limit, however the local authority have six months from the date of the last absence to lay papers before the court.

So if the last date of absence was in June (and you're absolutely certain there have been no absences since), then they are just about of time.

If they do issue a TPN now, you can ignore it, as you have 28 days to pay, and they cannot take you to court now (assuming there have been no futher absences).

Yes they can do it months later. It's happened to loads of people. They can take you to court if you don't pay.

Oops sorry missed that you had a fine.

Check the register to check that they haven't recorded any further absences (mistakes happen and illness can be recorded wrongly), then disregard, as you have 28 days to pay, and that will take you to seven months, which is too long for them to issue court proceedings.

@BitchQueen90 no they can't take OP to court (providing the child has had no further absences).

The LA can only take you to court within six months of the last absence - if the OP's child hasn't had any further absences, then it will be seven months before they can think about it (they have to give her 28 days to pay, then withdraw the 'fine' before proceeding to court), this takes it over the 6 month mark.

He was off poorly the other week for a couple of days as he had tonsillitis

Does this mean that triggered it?

I didn't pay mine; we had had the most awful few months and desperately needed a holiday. I took dd out for a week and of course I was duly fined. I felt that I had a good case and said that I was not going to pay...…...so take me to court. I wanted to argue my case.
They never did; I just had to sign a form to admit my 'crime' and that I would never do it again!