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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:
ASauvignonADay · 04/11/2017 22:01

Seems bizarre and don’t think the school could enforce it?

However, if they are late ‘after registers close’, then this would be a U Mark which is unauthorised, and could lead to a £60 fine. Which is a lot more than £2:50!

raisinsarenottheonlyfruit · 04/11/2017 22:17

There needs to be something in place for persistent lateness like persistent absence. I'm not sure that the fines are the right way though.

Lateness is counted as absence and fined in exactly the same way.

If you miss the morning register It's recorded as an absence for the whole morbing session up to lunch - even if in reality you were 5 minutes past the register.

Longwalkoffashortpier · 04/11/2017 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JonSnowsWife · 04/11/2017 22:35

There needs to be something in place for persistent lateness like persistent absence. I'm not sure that the fines are the right way though.

maisypops there is, it's called support.I was begging for it at DCs last school with DS. I asked for a support worker amd all sorts. Noises were made but it never came to fruition.

We lived quite close to the school so DD would walk herself round whilst I carried on dealing with DSs daily meltdowns. She was never late. So the fact that DS was didnt mean I was a slatternly parent. Just one who needed help. The staff would help me bring him in every morning and then at reports would tell the doctor "separates from caregiver with no issue". Hmm

The minute DS got the support he needed,he was comfortable in his environment, and wanted to go to school.

ProfessorCat · 04/11/2017 23:25

Raisins - please do! It would give me something to have a giggle over. I love having honest parents and if "toddler refusing to put wellies on" or "dog escaped into next door's garden" are the genuine reasons, put them Grin

Some do just put "late". Boring Wink

Longwalkoffashortpier · 04/11/2017 23:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ceto · 05/11/2017 00:33

It really irritates me when schools start throwing their weight about like this, particularly when it causes real distress to families in financial difficulties. If I lived around there, I'd be seriously tempted to make sure it was fully publicised on the school's FB and twitter pages (if they have them) that these fines are unlawful and unenforceable.

gallicgirl · 05/11/2017 09:06

DD often gets to school by the skin of her teeth despite my best efforts. Luckily we make it before registration but reasons in the late book would include 'couldn't unlatch toddler from boob without being bitten' or 'DD6 couldn't be arsed to get up and dressed' or 'DD can't walk and talk at the same time and she's known as little miss chatterbox for good reason'.
I keep meaning to grab her teacher and ask if she'll give her a bit of a telling off because DD seems to think it doesn't matter if she's late! I can't get through to her that there are consequences.

As far as a fine for lateness is concerned, it's totally unenforceable. It would have to be included in the local authorities debt collection policy and even if it was issued to a debt collector, without a court order, they have few powers of collection.

topcat2014 · 05/11/2017 09:14

Haven't RTFT - but as a school governor I am very surpised at this.

(not saying it cannot be true - it's not something my school has ever considered)

PurpleMinionMummy · 05/11/2017 09:24

Our LA are very clear being late could lead to fines. After a set time the child is classed as absent rather than late. Can't remember if its 9 or 9.10 for the cut off.

Lethaldrizzle · 05/11/2017 09:42

We had a problem with lateness for a while for all the myriad of reasons on this thread but then started getting up half an hour earlier. Job done!

SallyAnneMarie · 05/11/2017 09:45

Sounds like bollocks to me.

Babieseverywhere · 05/11/2017 09:47

I hope this never comes to our primary school.

From 8yo none of my children are late ever but the younger ones frequently are. The reason being my bowel disease which is very bad in the morning until the medication kicks in and before I get helpful tips, I already get up at 6am to take the pills and spend an hour on the toilet before school.

I help all children get ready to school often doing hair and listening to reading whilst on the toilet. First child takes herself to high school early. Younger three children are usually ready for school by 7.30am. But if I am having one of my frequent bad days, then I simply can not leave the house at 8.30am.

So I send any over 8yo's out on their own to walk to school and the younger ones watch tv until I am able to slowly leave the house load into the car and use my special agreement with school to drive the youngest ones onto the school grounds onto the staff car park, usually late.

When I look at the stats my two over 8yo's have perfect attendances and my younger two have loads of lates :( But this is unavoidable and 100% my fault. No number of fines will change our situation.

InternetHoopJumper · 05/11/2017 09:53

@ChelleDawg2020

How patronizing! If my employer treated me like that I would quit on the spot. I've never had a job like that. If I am going to be late for whatever reason, usually stuck in traffic, I am calling in to let them know what's up, but I would never allow myself to be treated like a child. How dare they.

Lethaldrizzle · 05/11/2017 10:27

But people seem more likely to be late for school than for work

blackheartsgirl · 05/11/2017 10:54

I have adhd and only till recently been medicated.

I am rarely if ever late for school ( when I used to do them, dp now does them and is often late which drives me batshit)

I am in work now with early starts and I’m never late there either, I really cannot afford to lose this job which is why I’ve had to sort my shit out over the years.

ADHD is fucking awful, it’s ruined my life, I’ve no career and my lifestyle is chaotic and so is my house but I can’t ever use it as an excuse for lateness because of the impact it can have on other people. My ds has adhd and is always late for work and college but doesn’t care, just blames his adhd and thinks it’s funny that someone then has to be called in from home to cover his shifts or has to stay later until he rocks up.

Drives me nuts.

InternetHoopJumper · 05/11/2017 10:59

In college there were several reasons for people being late often, no of which were deserving of fine.

1- Habitually late:

  • emotional problems
  • illness
  • flunking out and gone within a matter of weeks

2- Often late

  • relying on public transportation

3- Sometimes late

  • unforeseen circumstances, such as oversleeping or traffic accident.
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