New national rules for issuing fines for pupil absence to be introduced despite opposition

[noblegiraffe]

The DfE is to create 'at the earliest opportunity' a national framework for legal intervention and fixed penalty notices for pupil absence, despite opposition from parents.

I guess at the moment whether parents are fined varies between local authorities (it's not headteachers who decide whether to fine a parent) and they want to stop this. I would expect, given the new focus on school attendance following covid, that rules will be more strict than currently.

Schools will also be expected to publish and publicise their attendance policy.

Those parents who up till now have taken their kids out every year for a two week term-time holiday with no consequences may find that coming to an end.

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/national-school-absence-fines-plan-greenlit-despite-parent-opposition

The big problem is all the school refusers…many created by the lockdowns which harmed their development and mental health. Fining them for being ill won’t help

Easy solution - school authorises their absence. If you have a physical illness it is authorised, so it should be same rules for mental illness.

Fines for term time holidays are a different issue.