School Absence And Fines.

[The_DADDY]

A bit of a strange question but  If a school thinks a family have gone on holiday during term time (unauthorised absence) does the school have to prove it in order to issue a 'fine' or does the parent have to prove their innocence?

 

[El Cid]

It's a fixed penalty fine, so people either pay the fine or go to court.

I don't think it would come to that if the child has a good reason for not attending school.

It doesn't have to be a holiday, but the law is a child needs to attend school or be home-schooled.

[Al Bundy]

16 minutes ago, The_DADDY said:

A bit of a strange question but  If a school thinks a family have gone on holiday during term time (unauthorised absence) does the school have to prove it in order to issue a 'fine' or does the parent have to prove their innocence?

 

Where you planning on going? 😉

[The_DADDY]

2 minutes ago, El Cid said:

It's a fixed penalty fine, so people either pay the fine or go to court.

I don't think it would come to that if the child has a good reason for not attending school.

It doesn't have to be a holiday, but the law is a child needs to attend school or be home-schooled.

Thanks. The parent kept the kids off (brother and sister) due to chickenpox.

Mum notified the school immediately on the Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday, 

Despite this the school phoned mum numerous times to ask about the kids, turned up at the home unannounced (no one was home),  left a voicemail saying they were at the home waiting to see the kids then when Mum phoned school back to ask what the issue was she was told the school had called 101 and reported the kids missing.

I'll point out, this family has never had any dealings with ss so the kids aren't on any at risk register, their attendance is very good, school has never spoken to the family about any 'concerns' so this is all totally out of the blue.

Also, Mum is friends with a Child Protection social worker who is extremely confused by the schools actions. 

Bottom line is the kids were unwell, they were kept off school now the school insist they are fining the family and told the family to prove their innocence.

Is this normal in schools today? I'm genuinely shocked at the treatment this family is getting from the school. 

[The_DADDY]

1 minute ago, Al Bundy said:

Where you planning on going? 😉

The Bahamas if I'm lucky 😁🤣

[ECCOnoob]

54 minutes ago, The_DADDY said:

Thanks. The parent kept the kids off (brother and sister) due to chickenpox.

Mum notified the school immediately on the Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday, 

Despite this the school phoned mum numerous times to ask about the kids, turned up at the home unannounced (no one was home),  left a voicemail saying they were at the home waiting to see the kids then when Mum phoned school back to ask what the issue was she was told the school had called 101 and reported the kids missing.

I'll point out, this family has never had any dealings with ss so the kids aren't on any at risk register, their attendance is very good, school has never spoken to the family about any 'concerns' so this is all totally out of the blue.

Also, Mum is friends with a Child Protection social worker who is extremely confused by the schools actions. 

Bottom line is the kids were unwell, they were kept off school now the school insist they are fining the family and told the family to prove their innocence.

Is this normal in schools today? I'm genuinely shocked at the treatment this family is getting from the school. 

 

If the kids were off ill why were they not at home when the school visited then?   Why were they not answering the phone when the school were making enquiries?  If they were staying with some other relative elsewhere, why did the parent not inform the school?

 

Schools have a duty to safeguard. If the parents have told them something about the illness of the kids and then suspicions arise that they're lying why shouldn't the school follow it up. 

 

More to the story than is being said I think. 

 

As others have said, whether the parents agree with it or not, the law is very clear. Your kids are in school or homeschooled unless there is a legitimate reason. Failure to have one means there's a fine due. 

[ECCOnoob]

1 hour ago, The_DADDY said:

A bit of a strange question but  If a school thinks a family have gone on holiday during term time (unauthorised absence) does the school have to prove it in order to issue a 'fine' or does the parent have to prove their innocence?

 

 

I admit I am not a specialist in the rules but to me the "proof" in such instance is much more simple than that.

 

Do records show child has unauthorised absence during term time? Yes...

 

Is there a legitimate reason through illness or otherwise which the school accepts? No....

 

That it. School can issue a fine. 

 

All the burden falls on the parent to prove why they shouldn't pay not for the school to prove why they should.

Edited July 8 by ECCOnoob

[El Cid]

1 hour ago, The_DADDY said:

Thanks. The parent kept the kids off (brother and sister) due to chickenpox.

turned up at the home unannounced (no one was home)

 

 

I don't think schools normally visit homes, unless they have concerns.

Surely a child with chickenpox should be at home to avoid spreading the illness, which is why they aren't at school.

[The_DADDY]

27 minutes ago, ECCOnoob said:

If the kids were off ill why were they not at home when the school visited then?   

Snipped 

Mum had to go shopping so 

had to take them with her. Apparently they'd gone past the contagious stage so were fine to go out. 

[The_DADDY]

29 minutes ago, ECCOnoob said:

Snipped 

Why were they not answering the phone when the school were making enquiries? 

Snipped 

She did answer the phone for some calls. However when the school rang (on I think 2 occasions) she was at the shops and there was no signal. She phoned them as soon as she was able.