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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This can't be right?! School are fining parents each time a child is late?

117 replies

Givemeallthechocolate · 04/11/2017 17:11

One of DDs friends mums has told me today that our school has started charging parents each time if their kid is late for school.
Apparently if a child arrives after 9am the school are charging £2.50 each day.
Apparently a parent was in tears because they couldn't afford to pay it that week as they had 0.30p until the next week.

This isn't something I heard about through school channels but we have missed a fair few letters due to DD being off having had an operation a week into term, which meant missing a further 2 weeks for recovery... so this may be something I've missed,

But surely this isn't right, or legal?

OP posts:
FrayedHem · 04/11/2017 18:06

Headteachers do have the power to issue fixed penalty fines, but that has to be in accordance with the Local Authority policy (e.g. for lateness I think it usually over 10 late registrations). I'd be surprised if the £2.50 charge is strictly enforceable.

Original poster
Givemeallthechocolate · 04/11/2017 18:06

BonjourBlush is that after 14 days or?...Hmm I am just playing, I know that wouldn't be legal!

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 04/11/2017 18:16

It's sledgehammer to crack a nut isn't it.

It's going to hurt the families who have kids with SEN (lots of them undiagnosed), those with transport problems, parents who are going through a period of bad health or having a rough patch at home. It would be nice if it could only affect the dawdlers who faff around.

Ceto · 04/11/2017 18:17

It's a singularly pointless thing to do. They have no power to impose the fines or to enforce them. Word should and will get round that the fines can be ignored with impunity, which will mean that parental (and indeed pupil) respect for the school will be severely dented; which means that next time they want parental co-operation their chances of getting it are that much less.

Honestly, you do have to wonder how a headteacher who is so lacking in common sense managed to get appointed.

mirime · 04/11/2017 18:19

But there's no excuse for persistent lateness with primary age children.

DS is late every day because that 5 minutes makes the difference between him going in unhappy but calm and him being in tears, crying and screaming. The latter is stressful and distressing for all of us. His teacher agrees with us that a few minutes late and avoiding the queuing to go in is the better option.

He's fine once he's in, but has a lot of anxiety beforehand.

eyebrowsonfleek · 04/11/2017 18:27

It’s happening already

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-25827274

Battleax · 04/11/2017 18:28

I wouldn't entirely rule it out on the basis that it would be exceeding the school's powers. Schools do try to exceed their own powers and remit from time to time, especially if there's an "energetic" head at he helm.

Original poster
Givemeallthechocolate · 04/11/2017 18:29

I'm not sure it's true. Because like Multivac said, they can't just demand money from parents.
The thought of having parents fined, if they have 3 kids in the school and say it happens rarely but it happens once, and they are fined £7.50 and they are already on a low income, I could see that being pretty disastrous because I can't imagine anyone would be able to say well I'll budget for getting the kids late to school, not that week because I've got to buy coats and boots..... ah I can afford to be late on the 29th April.

I've given this much thought.

It's a great school which has always (In my opinion) made excellent decisions for its pupils and their extended families so being told this was a bit of a shocker,

But on the flip side, they'd make a fair whack of money that would go towards the kids educations.

OP posts:
SnowyBerries · 04/11/2017 18:35

Best to check it out with the school. Dd's (reliable) friend told me something a teacher had said which matched what a friend with a dd in the year above told me a year ago had been said by the same department. I found it unreasonable and it would affect my own dd. Dd went to the lesson the next day and it was partly true what was said but with an extra thing said that made it ok and not unreasonable. Best to clarify.

Original poster
Givemeallthechocolate · 04/11/2017 18:37

I'm sorry to all the posters who have illnesses within the family that make getting the kids to school hard, I hope that the schools are giving as much support as possible. Surely in these type of circumstances they can't issue penalties?
It's a hard one.

I hate to say it, but for parents who have no excuse but have children who are late every day should get the fixed penalty notices. I just didn't agree with what I'd heard about the parent having to pay there and then, it seemed rather draconian.

OP posts:
JonSnowsWife · 04/11/2017 18:40

no just a run of the mill primary

Ah that's why I was asking because if it's a run of the mill primary turned academy and it is true then you can raise your concerns with the trust that's taken over too.

Original poster
Givemeallthechocolate · 04/11/2017 18:41

Oh but come on. Not picking up the kids on time? That's surely pretty irresponsible parent if they can't turn up to get their child?

OP posts:
GymBunnieWannabe · 04/11/2017 18:41

[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4658420/Schools-fine-parents-60-children-late.html I just searched because I remember the daily fail writing this about fines for being late]]

GymBunnieWannabe · 04/11/2017 18:41

Link fail, try again

user1955 · 04/11/2017 18:44

If parents are persistently late at pick up we will wait 10 minutes, then take them to our school-based after school club, and charge them for the child-care.

PortiaCastis · 04/11/2017 18:47

What happens if people don't pay?

JonSnowsWife · 04/11/2017 18:47

I just didn't agree with what I'd heard about the parent having to pay there and then, it seemed rather draconian.

Yes. But I'd like to see how that's played out. Some people simply dont have it. I sometimes dont have my purse or handbag on me on the school run on the days I'm home. Are they going to keep me in isolation until I've magiced up the money? DSs previous school was in an area with an unusually high claimant count (I won't disclose how I know but yes it was a reliable source). Yes some parents prioritised other things. Most parents lived hand to mouth and didnt have two pennies to rub together.

How are they meant to produce what they haven't got?

Gaelach · 04/11/2017 18:48

In my school, if you are late to pick up your child by more than 5 minutes, you are charged as though they attended the after-schools club.

BalloonSlayer · 04/11/2017 18:51

But there's no excuse for persistent lateness with primary age children.

Actually, sometimes there is. My friend's severely autistic small DS would frequently not go to sleep till 3 or 4 in the morning. Whilst still awake he would try and escape from the house, or do other dangerous things. Social services, while offering no support whatsoever, had told her that she was not to lock him in his room. Hmm So she was up every night trying to keep him safe, and her older DS was similarly exhausted from the noise. No big surprise that in the morning she frequently slept through her alarm.

sadiemm2 · 04/11/2017 18:53

It's common practice to put the child in after school care, and charge parents for persistently late collections not a one 9ff, or like one day last week when the Ring road was closed by a multi car pile up. I don't agree with charging for persistent lateness, but offering support to find out why. Even it's because you can't be arsed to get out of bed in time.

prh47bridge · 04/11/2017 18:58

I haven't read the full thread. However, the school has no legal powers to fine parents for the child being late. Any attempt to enforce this would fail. If a parent refused to pay there would be nothing the school could do about it.

AgadorSpartacus · 04/11/2017 19:18

Our school fine for late pick up at the end of the day. X3 lates incurs a £5.00 fine. This is very much with the backing of the LA.

So I could well believe it.

raisinsarenottheonlyfruit · 04/11/2017 19:31

@JonSnowsWife Educational Welfare Office sounds about right.

She was partonising as fuck. I cautioned DP not to get the hump with them beforehand as he can sometimes be quite... erm ... direct if he feels people are being rude. But it was me (and I'm ususally so diplomatic!) who got annoyed!

I was really honest with them about how it was my fault when the DC are late and how I find it difficult to organise myself. The teacher was lovely and made constructive suggestions like asking if putting the kids in breaskfast club might help.

The Welfare Officer, on the other hand, had a go at me, and said "if you were in a job they wouldn't tolerate it, so why should school?".

This is what made me see red. "If you were in a job?!!". WTF was she insinuating? Angry

I'm not a teenager with no experience of work or someone who's never had a proper job. I'm 41 year old professional FFS with a solid work history of over 25 years! I've been late to every job I've had and never got sacked for it as I'm good at my job and I work bloody hard, way over my hours (I never go home on time).

She was a little taken aback when I said that and said "well I couldn't do it in my job". Yes, but that's neither here nor there, is it love? Hmm

Pengggwn · 04/11/2017 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.