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Original poster

Schools fining for late pick up

98 replies

FredrikaPeri · 13/09/2022 12:03

Our kid's school has instigated a fine of £1 a minute for late pick up.

Does your school do this?
How do you feel about that?

OP posts:
CaptainMum · 13/09/2022 12:26

Otherwise it's essentially free childcare? From a professional... How much do you value their time and are willing to pay? £1 a minute for emergency childcare isn't too bad...

SpinningFloppa · 13/09/2022 12:27

Johnnysgirl · 13/09/2022 12:19

Preferred a fine? Why couldn't she just do what everyone else does and get there on time??

Show quote history

Than being referred to social services yes, it wasn’t me I didn’t agree with her being late I’m never late but she was saying they said next time she’s late she would have ss rang on her I think she would have rather just paid the pounds rather than being reported to ss

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 13/09/2022 12:27

FredrikaPeri · 13/09/2022 12:03

Our kid's school has instigated a fine of £1 a minute for late pick up.

Does your school do this?
How do you feel about that?

How do you feel about that?

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General education
Jets121 · 13/09/2022 12:29

I think it’s a good idea helps stop parents being late & expecting schools to provide free childcare outside of school hours

girlmom21 · 13/09/2022 12:31

I think it's completely fair. If you're expecting someone else to care for your child outside of standard hours you can pay for it.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 13/09/2022 12:34

I can't see hoe you can enforce it though.

nachoavocado · 13/09/2022 12:35

That seems sensible

nancydroo · 13/09/2022 12:37

Surely as there is a monetary value, there would be a contract that you would have signed to state that you have accepted these terms. If you haven't accepted these terms in writing I don't see how this could be binding.

PurpleWisteria · 13/09/2022 12:38

Great idea should be £1 every five minutes.

The hours I wasted child minding for parents who couldn't be arsed to get there on time.

"You're here anyway!" Bloody cheek.

Bratnews · 13/09/2022 12:41

For the whole the school? Nor sure how this would have worked at the primary school my kids were at (Scotland) as after P1 kids are released into the playground, P2 & P3 stood at the doors for kids to return if there couldn't find a parent - you would only know if a parent wasn't there after the playground started to clear out.

Mammyloveswine · 13/09/2022 12:41

I wish my school did this!! I'm always waiting at least 15 mins some days!

gatehouseoffleet · 13/09/2022 12:41

tickticksnooze · 13/09/2022 12:20

Does a school have the legal power to do that?

I was also wondering that. Nurseries have it in their terms of business. Private schools probably could do it, I doubt state schools can.

Anyway by the time they've finished telling all the kids of the "naughty" children about their transgressions that day, the parents will have probably arrived to collect them. I'd have thought there'd be at least 10 minutes leeway with a primary class.

Why couldn't she just do what everyone else does and get there on time

It's not always that easy, although if it becomes a regular issue you have to sort it out. A pp has already said that she can't be in 3 places in the same school at the same time!

Peanutbuttercupsmuch · 13/09/2022 12:43

They did this when my now 13 year old was at primary. Technically they were sent to the after school club, it was £5 regardless of how late you were

drspouse · 13/09/2022 12:52

I've only been properly late (child was in school office not on playground) once and that was last week - DS gets dropped at home by taxi from his specialist school, which was a tiny bit late, and I think my watch was slow because I thought we then had plenty of time so I didn't chivvy him along as fast as I could have (frankly, chivvying him makes him slower). I wasn't fined.

But I shall be very upset if they DO fine me if this happens again. The only reason DS is in a specialist school is because DD school wouldn't keep him and illegally offrolled him. I can't control when his taxi drops him and it could easily be even later if the traffic is bad - in theory he's dropped any time up to 3pm and her class lets out at 3.10, and it's a 5 minute walk.

Simonjt · 13/09/2022 12:54

My sons school puts them in after school club after ten minutes and the parent is then liable to pay for the whole session. Seems to work very well.

Tigerstripes1 · 13/09/2022 12:58

I think its right. I've got 3 at school and never been late, not even once. For nursery or school. Even when my cars broken down or I've been stuck in traffic, I've always phoned another parent and asked them to grab my children for me and wait/drop them off which has probably happened twice in 10 years. I've never been late to drop them off either, I don't understand how it even happens regularly for some parents!

onmywayamarillo · 13/09/2022 13:01

I've been really late twice in 17 years of pick ups.. both times I phoned a friend to pick up.

After school club is a good idea even if it's just for an hour to give you some leeway if you are constantly late?

Buzzybeeinmybrain · 13/09/2022 13:02

Does that mean I can charge them £1 per minute for being released from school 15 mins late yesterday? Meaning I was late to a job interview

Works both ways

pimlicoanna · 13/09/2022 13:02

I think it's fine. Childcare isn't free and school is finished

NeverDropYourMooncup · 13/09/2022 13:04

As we've been left with kids until the site has been locked up before now, I think it's a necessary step to avoid pisstaking.

Hoppinggreen · 13/09/2022 13:06

onmywayamarillo · 13/09/2022 13:01

I've been really late twice in 17 years of pick ups.. both times I phoned a friend to pick up.

After school club is a good idea even if it's just for an hour to give you some leeway if you are constantly late?

Same here
If I even thought I might be late I phoned and then asked another parent to collect (although I appreciate not everyone has a network like that). I was actually late only once due to a motorway pile up in over 10 years
DH was very late once as he forgot and I was asleep (new baby). If he had been fined we wouldn’t have had a problem with it.
Not sure how they would enforce it though

justaladyLOL · 13/09/2022 13:10

1 If you are late it is a terrible example for your kids to say that other people's time does not matter
The staff have homes to go to they do not want to wait for people who cannot be bothered to arrive on time

Bluevelvetsofa · 13/09/2022 13:11

I think this is probably aimed at the parents who are regularly 5 or 10 minutes late. I’m sure, in an emergency situation, it would be different. In those cases, I bet parents would phone and say that the car’s broken down, or the bus didn’t turn up or whatever. It’s for those who just assume that their time is more valuable, just as people who are regularly late for appointments and social functions do.

viques · 13/09/2022 13:12

Buzzybeeinmybrain · 13/09/2022 13:02

Does that mean I can charge them £1 per minute for being released from school 15 mins late yesterday? Meaning I was late to a job interview

Works both ways

So were you planning on taking them with you to the job interview? seems a strange thing to do……….

StarDolphins · 13/09/2022 13:14

I am never late to pick my DD up - not incase I’m fined but I would hate for her to be wondering where I am.

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