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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be angry about attendance charge from school

562 replies

HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 15:36

I am very upset at the minute. Received my fine today for taking my children out of school four days before they break up for Christmas.

Me and my husband have received a £60 fine for each child for each parent.

We are being charged more for being a couple. Which I think is wrong. The last week of school they only watch films and went to a pantomime. Oh and had a school disco. The holiday was far more educational than watching films and family time is hard to come by with work.

When I have requested a meeting with the head teacher I have just got a mouthful of abusive from the receptionist.

OP posts:
GoofyIsACow · 07/02/2014 16:37

I very much agree with every word spoken by starballbunny

Is the standard fine £60 per parent per child?

GoofyIsACow · 07/02/2014 16:39

£60 per day per child? Shock WTAF!?!?

theborg · 07/02/2014 16:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

trixymalixy · 07/02/2014 16:41

Did you actually request for your kids to have the time off school or did they just not turn up?

What did you say to the school business manager to cause her to state her job title? It sounds like while you may not have raised your voice, you may have been rude to her.

Original poster
HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 16:42

Yes I was aware but do not agree with me being charged and they haven't. I know they haven't got a fine because I have asked them. It's upto the head if she wants to send off To request there fine. When I told the council who issue the fine why I have to when others don't he says I need to bring this up with the head which is why I requested a meeting.

As for the telephone conversation I mean it has been recorded as I made the call from work and do not agree with the how the receptionist/school business management spoke to me.

OP posts:
TheGruffalo2 · 07/02/2014 16:44

Recorded as in logged you made a call or recorded as in audio evidence of what was said?

Original poster
HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 16:45

Recoded as in audio

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 07/02/2014 16:45

The HT won't discuss other people's fines or lack of them with you. It's not your business.

ChocolateWombat · 07/02/2014 16:45

I think a lot of the issues being discussed here are a bit of a smokescreen. The OP broke the law and was fined. End of. People in this kind of position often find lots of other issues to raise, to deflect attention away from them.

The receptionist might have been rude (or not) but it doesn't alter the fact that the OP broke the law.
This has nothing to do with teachers striking (and of course they don't get paid when striking) or Inset days or any of the other things people raise to justify taking children out of school. If other parents were not fined, it was not because they are on the PFA. The fines are set by LEA not school. Suggesting favouritism like this, shows something of an attitude of always looking to say there has been unfair play, rather than taking responsibility for ones own actions.

I suspect many LEAs apply the fines after a certain amount of absence. The OP does not tell us if or how much other unauthorised absence her children have had. But that wouldn't help her outrage. would it? Perhaps she has not taken her children out on other occasions. Perhaps she will or won't tell us.

TheGruffalo2 · 07/02/2014 16:46

Did you inform the school you were recording the call before it started? If not you have broken the law.

revealall · 07/02/2014 16:46

I didn't get a fine for four days so there's an example of why it's a flawed rule.

You have NO right of appeal. However I would check your LEA's policy.If they haven't complied with the new law and stated their new policy then why should you.

FWIW at my school, lots of parents have been threatened with fines for many years. Very few are ever issued. Obviously these were problem families and deemed in need of help not fines. Be interesting to see if the law is now applied equally or just to more compliant parents taking their children out for a few days.

Original poster
HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 16:47

Sorry I did not raise my voice at all I just called to arrange a meeting with the head and got a mouth full of abuse. To be honest she had no right speaking to any one like that. If I have spoken to one of my customers like this I would of been fired on the spot.

OP posts:
jacks365 · 07/02/2014 16:47

What are your lea guidelines for fining and how many total days unauthorised leave have your dc had.

Fairenuff · 07/02/2014 16:47

Yes I was aware but do not agree with me being charged and they haven't.

You are assuming that they haven't been charged because of a donation to the school. But there could be another very relevant reason. This is private to that family and the HT will not discuss it with you.

The most you are likely to get is, "I am satisfied with my decision".

WorraLiberty · 07/02/2014 16:48

You're not being penalised for being a couple

Fines are issued to whichever parent the child was staying with at the time of absence.

In this case it was both of you...therefore you are both guilty of keeping your children away from school.

ebwy · 07/02/2014 16:48

out of curiosity, could you still have yor child marked as "educated off-site" to take them to a museum etc?

ChocolateWombat · 07/02/2014 16:49

OP please tell us how many days your children have had off, unauthorised in the last year. You don't seem to be answering this question.

ilovesooty · 07/02/2014 16:49

Agree with Gruffalo re the call.

Original poster
HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 16:49

Perhaps I will. My children have 100% attendance apart from the holidays my oldest was off in reception but this was before he was 5.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 07/02/2014 16:51

out of curiosity, could you still have yor child marked as "educated off-site" to take them to a museum etc?

No, you'd be laughed at and told to take them at the weekend.

jacks365 · 07/02/2014 16:51

I agree re the call too unless the receptionist was notified the recording can't be used in the complaint

ChocolateWombat · 07/02/2014 16:52

Is your son still in reception, or was this years ago?
Thanks for answering the question.

YouStayClassySanDiego · 07/02/2014 16:52

You don't have a leg to stand on and a meeting with the head is pointless.

Let it go.

HappyMummyOfOne · 07/02/2014 16:52

I dont think theres many parents who dont know about the fines, you took them out and now have to pay the consequences.

Its not the school who issue but the LEA which suggests the children have poor attendence.

If you believe its your right to skip school then you can hardly moan when the fine arrives. If you dont like the rules, then home educate.

Fairenuff · 07/02/2014 16:54

OP what would your stance be if the other family had not had a holiday, it was just you and your fine? Would you pay it?