MNHQ here: 'school gate' fines for being late to school - what do you think?

[RowanMumsnet]

Morning all

We're being asked for your views on a couple of press stories over recent days (here and here - ££) indicating that some schools are going to start fining the parents of children who are late to school more than ten times a term. The fines will be £60, doubling if they're not paid within 21 days, and ultimately (as with unauthorised term-time absences) parents could be prosecuted and even jailed for non-payment.

What do you think? Does your school already do this? Is it a constructively tough approach to persistent lateness, or a wild overreaction - or something else?

Would be great to hear what you think.

Thanks
MNHQ

Think this is a useful tool in an arsenal of interventions to tackle the impact of persistent lateness on the child and the rest of the class.

It will be like fines for persistent absenteeism ...they just won't pay and then what?

Can't see how it's going to work. Just more admin. People won't pay. And if you are persistently late, then there's probably deeper issues, that a fine isn't going to fix.

ouryve - exactly why I said HT discretion should be involved who knows families and their personal circumstances-if you read my post properly!

I don't think anyone is saying that those with genuine reasons will be fined - just like they are not for being absent or for having a holiday in term time with parents in the forces - what it is targeting is the persistent lates for those who have no genuine reason ....

Who decides what is a genuine reason though?

Would I be fined because actually there is no reason other than I can't force her to get there because ultimately she just doesn't want to be on time? Or not because I've tried really hard to resolve it and would happily accept any support or strategy offered?

Does someone get to decide if a parent is trying hard enough?

In my case it would do nothing except cost me money and add in another reason in the long list of reasons why she should be on time that I give her most mornings when we argue about it.

A fine is the answer for every parental problem? Why no one thought of that before? So every child shall be in their classroom by 8:50 am from tomorrow onwards. Well done! What next? Another fine if our child doesn't achieve level 4 in time for sat? Another fine if our child doesn't get 5 gcses? Probably it is easier and cheaper if our child doesn't go to school at all.

Tabula I am sure that you now have external agencies involved - therefore you would be someone not fined?

Amazingly, nope, the odd phone call or letter from school, we discuss what I've done already and then... nothing, no further intervention, no other involvement.

In fact it's more often me contacting them about it than the other way round.

I assume that actually I wouldn't ever be fined as her school haven't actually done anything and before it would get to that point they'd have to.

But I still think trying to work out what is a genuine reason and what isn't could end up being pretty haphazard.

I am amazed school have not been involved!! Ten times a term is a lot ... Say for example the woman who lives near me and is very lovely who is always late - running up the road at 855 to get there for 850! She lives a 5 minute walk away .... There is no excuse at all

Yes - I don't know whether they're just being a bit rubbish (they have form for that) or if it's because she's my youngest so they have basis to think I am actually trying to deal with it as I say I am.