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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School absence fines. Has anyone on here actually been fined?

66 replies

NickiFury · 22/06/2014 14:43

And what were the circumstances? If you don't mind sharing.

Just wondering really as there are daily threads about this issue usually turning into big bun fights and fear of fines etc. Personally I don't know anyone who has actually been fined despite taking children out mid term.

So just wondering if there's any MNetters who have. Did both parents have to pay etc?

Thanks Smile

OP posts:
Legodino · 13/12/2014 18:38

Our county council writes a letter after 10 sessions (5days) unauthorised absence. If there is any unauthorised absence in the 15 days after the letter, a parent is fined £60. This rises to £120 if unpaid. Then procedures. However the court can waver the fine if the absence is due to exceptional circumstances, gp certified illness or religious reasons

crumblebumblebee · 13/12/2014 18:39

YABU.

BoneyBackJefferson · 13/12/2014 19:00

isn't the new minister for education planning to drop this?

HamPortCourt · 13/12/2014 19:19

At our local village school two children (sisters) have been permanently excluded when their parents persistently took them on holiday in term time.

The head warned them she would do this if they went away in term time again and they just went and booked a week in Fuerteventura.

Poor kids now have to travel miles to school and had to make new friends. Parents obviously couldn't give a fuck.

If you don't want to be fined don't take your kids out of school in term time without permission. Haven't we done this thread about 700 times?

sbarber678 · 07/05/2016 18:12

Any more recent experiences - West Sussex?

Brenp · 08/05/2019 08:38

I just applied for 2 days for my son to attend my sister's wedding and received a letter granting the two days only to get a phone call yesturday to say it was a mistake and they won't be authorising it now. Can they do that?

Soubriquet · 08/05/2019 09:18

Yes I’ve been fined and I paid it

Took my dd on a weeks holiday at the beginning of the school year

Even with the fine, it was cheaper to go then

Soubriquet · 08/05/2019 09:19

Oh bollocks just realised this was a zombie thread! Angry

IAmTheChosenOne · 08/05/2019 09:21

A collegue got fined but she didnt care ! 2 x children @ £60 each x two weeks was £240 - a mere drop in the ocean she saved taking them out of holiday time on a long haul destination.

HomeMadeMadness · 08/05/2019 09:23

We're thinking of taking DS out for a day for a trip to centerparcs for MIL's 60th. He's in reception and only 4. Are we likely to get fined?

He's not compulsory school age so no he can't be fined however long he's out of school.

HomeMadeMadness · 08/05/2019 09:23

Oh zombie thread oops!

bridgetreilly · 08/05/2019 09:49

There was a thing on QI about fines for late pickups at a nursery actually increasing the number of late pickups. Because the parents didn't feel any guilt any more about being late, they just treated it like a paid service.

I can't help wondering if fines for unauthorised absences are having a similar effect, at least among reasonably well-off families. You just factor the fine into the cost of the holiday, compare it with what you'd pay during school holidays, and then decide if it's worth it. No angst required.

BoxOfBabyCheeses · 08/05/2019 10:25

I know of two people who have been fined. Unsure of other LEA's, but I'm in South Wales and the school doesn't fine you. My son is going on holidays at the end of May with his dad's family. I have put the request form in, but was told at the time that it will be unauthorised.

The council are the ones who fine parents, and in my area the council will only do this if their attendance drops below 90%. I think that this is a fair compromise, as parents who make every effort to get their children to school will not be punished.

Sueze · 22/01/2020 13:07

Im being fined for the second time my 15 year old refuses to go to school . Every day is s constant battle to get him there i do everything within my power but he doesn't care .
The school are well awear of my situation but guess what they dont care ither they offer no support whatsoever . Well i really cant afford to pay it and am disgusted in there reaction ... i have been told constantly were hear if you need us, joke yea until i actualy do . They turn professional when it suits them while pretending to be your best freind and so understanding .. ive telephoned them several times but am told basicly tough shit pay the fine.
What can i do i cant
Pay .

Sodone2018 · 22/01/2020 13:50

I have been fined twice. Took my ds on holiday and he missed 5 full school days. Twice. He never usually misses a day off school, never late and his grades are good but we were going to a family wedding one year and the other year we had had a really tough year as a family and my ds was struggling and we wouldn’t have been able to go in the summer holidays due to me being heavily pregnant.

In my borough it is down to the schools if they fine you or not. We have to pay 3 fines. For me, DS’s son and my DH (even though he has no parental responsibility) apparently they said because he lives in the same home as DS and came on the holiday that that means he has to. I asked if I lived with aunts/uncles etc would they all have to pay. They didn’t know what to say. I could have fault more but was easier to just pay it.
£180 for one child for one week.

Sodone2018 · 22/01/2020 13:52

Depending on LSA’s you should only get fined if they have 10 consecutive sessions for the register off school

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