School fines

[PerfectPearl]

Does anybody know if we will still be fined, if we choose not to send our children back to school?

Yes weve been advised normal attendance policy applies

Yes, afraid so

That's what they say. The phrase "we are self isolating " will buy you 10 days, no questions asked.

Oh no, I was hoping it would be a case of dropping the ridiculous fines in such awful times.
However I do understand that they cannot hold a place for a child long term if they went attending,

But just until Feb half term, but then theres a possibility that we have the same problems again I suppose.
I think I was just hoping we have more of a choice as I do not feel happy sending my children back on the 4th.
Does anyone else feel like this?

Good point about the self isolating, thanks

OP there are a few threads on this and a kindly EWO officer also gave advice.

They are the ones who fine and are being generally very sympathetic at the moment to people who are genuinely concerned about the virus.

Even if they do - the school - go down a fining route there is a process and something about 30 days to follow.

My own plan is to tread water for at least a week with various illness by which point - tier 4 will have started to suppress the disease enough for me to deem its safe or it will be bad still.
As parents we have a duty of care to our children and we are morally and legally obliged to act in their best interest and keep them safe.

On twitter I found a thread called - safeedforall and there are lots of pointers on there and also template letters if you want to show the school your hand as to why you are keeping them off.

Perfect, the holding the school place is also a fallacy they cant legally just give the place away so quickly, again there is a protocol but often schools themselves do not understand the nitty gritty parts.

Perfect LOADS of parents feel like this - go over to twitter! Loads of threads on here about it too.

Thankyou ladies, for your good advice, I feel better knowing theres more concern than I first thought

Just as an aside, schools don't issue fines, they come from the LA.

Unfortunately yes, the school will pass the non attendance details on to your local authority who will then issue a fine. At this point if you want to keep your children home you would need to accept the fines which are one for each parent I believe, agree to give up their school place by sending a letter to deregister or see how you get on faking an illness.

I don't know what on earth the government is thinking. If you're able to keep them home you should be encouraged to do so not threatened. You'll be making the situation safer for those families that have to send their children in.

My kids are all grown up so don't know the rules. Can you fight a fine in court? Would be interesting to see the chaos unfold if lots of parents did that.

I don't know what on earth the government is thinking. If you're able to keep them home you should be encouraged to do so not threatened. You'll be making the situation safer for those families that have to send their children in.

I agree with this. We are in the fortunate situation to be able to keep our Dc home, I'm worried about fines. We shouldn't be threatened by trying to keep our family safer.

I agree with you all.
I know many parents may not be able to keep their children at home, but I am lucky in the fact I work eavnings and weekends, I am a key worker and work in health, so that is another reason I would like my children to stay at home.
I am definitely considering telling the school we are self isolating, this will give me 10 days, then I will see where we are from there

@PerfectPearl

I agree with you all. I know many parents may not be able to keep their children at home, but I am lucky in the fact I work eavnings and weekends, I am a key worker and work in health, so that is another reason I would like my children to stay at home. I am definitely considering telling the school we are self isolating, this will give me 10 days, then I will see where we are from there

Similar position to you, one of my dc’s is not returning until the 18th (6 form) but the other attends a sn school in a tier 4, I’m in tier 3 and she’s due to go back Tuesday, at the moment I’m only working one day a week in a care roll so I am able to care for dd2 at home and would like to keep her home until at least the 18th but I don’t know where I stand, if school doesn’t give me the option to keep her home then I’m guessing she has to go in? I can’t afford to lose her school place as it took me years to get her a place in a specialist school.

I do think people should be given the option to keep their dc home for a few weeks if they are able too, I understand that some can’t due to work but if less children were in school it would be safer for the ones that have to go in and safer for staff.

Yes lots of threads. Clinically vulnerable teachers are expected back in on Monday. Siblings and children of extremely clinically vulnerable people (including those in Tier 4 who have recieved notice from the government to shield) are expected back in on Monday.

@PerfectPearl

Does anybody know if we will still be fined, if we choose not to send our children back to school?

Depends on the school. Our school has said since Sept and just reiterated that they won't pursue fines for isolating etc.

Another question,

Can I say to the school we are choosing to self isolate?
Or do they have to have been in contact with a positive case to self isolate, and would they want proof?