School Introduces Penalty Charges

[ifhthsbdw]

it ends with pupils getting better grades meaning jobs.

and not hanging about on street corners dossing.

if you cannot or will not follow the Law without a penalty then it will not belong before your before the courts.

 

Quite. Hopefully, they will also attend work having learned the simple ethics of punctuality and good attendance. It's not that much to ask is it?

[Nystagmite]

How do you feel about people who let their kids take that much unauthorised absence? I think it is appalling.

 

They may have good reason for it? We were always told to make medical appointments out of school hours - bit difficult when school is 8.45 - 3.30 5 days a week. During one year, I was constantly back and forth to see my GP, which couldn't always be arranged out of school hours.

[ifhthsbdw]

They may have good reason for it? We were always told to make medical appointments out of school hours - bit difficult when school is 8.45 - 3.30 5 days a week. During one year, I was constantly back and forth to see my GP, which couldn't always be arranged out of school hours.

 

Fair enough, but if you read the first post it states very clearly that these absences are where the School has not been informed of illness. Plus, it allows for 21 occasions during two terms before these sanctions occur. How could any good parent allow THAT to happen?

 

Also, nowadays at least, it should always be possible to arrange a Doctor's appointment after school. My GPs surgery, which is probably typical, is open until 6.30 pm and you can book appointments online very easily.

 

If the school was saying that you have only 2-3 instances of what they call unauthorised absence, then I could believe that this would cause hassle to some people. They are not though, they are proposing this after 21 periods of absence. That ought to give any decent parent the chance to avoid any fines whatsoever, even if it doesn't stop a few of the bad ones moaning about it.

Edited January 13, 2013 by ifhthsbdw

[Nystagmite]

In Years 8 & 11, I had 3 weeks (each) off ill. In Year 11, I got a right telling off for it. Well, excuse me for needing surgery without which I wouldn't have been able to walk, let alone go to school.

 

Some HP surgeries are open to 6.30pm, yes. But these are taken up by people who work 9-5.

[WendyHorse]

There is a problem here which nobody has highlighted, and I'm afraid any answer which blames poor parenting is not good enough.

 

I know of some children who perpetually play truant from school. One girl in particular comes from a single parent family. Her mother has physically taken her to the school and handed her into the care of staff. The child has then debunked before registration and has missed considerable chunks of education. Even what is usually known by its old name, the Education Welfare Team, have collected the child from home and escorted her to school where she has steadfastly refused to stay.

 

The mother has now received two fines which she cannot afford. She is doing everything in her power to work with the school to ensure her daughter's attendance. What exactly is she supposed to do, and in what way do these fines help?

 

Also, the Headteacher has the right to grant 10 days annual holiday during term time at their discretion. It seems to me unfair that some schools will have a HT who allows this, and others HT's who won't. This then creates a very unfair two tier system. Surely legislation should be passed to remove the discretionary element of holiday entitlement, other wise two children could go on the same holiday from two two different schools, with one receiving a fine and the other having it as authorised holiday entitlement.

[huggy41]

also, the headteacher has the right to grant 10 days annual holiday during term time at their discretion

 

wrong.

 

at present, head teachers have the discretion to approve two weeks of absence from school for each child, which is supposed to be for illness, bereavement or when children cannot get to school because of bad weather.

It is not supposed to be granted for holidays but teachers wary of upsetting parents have widely ignored the rule.

 

if you don't like the rule then home school

[ifhthsbdw]

There is a problem here which nobody has highlighted, and I'm afraid any answer which blames poor parenting is not good enough.

 

I know of some children who perpetually play truant from school. One girl in particular comes from a single parent family. Her mother has physically taken her to the school and handed her into the care of staff. The child has then debunked before registration and has missed considerable chunks of education. Even what is usually known by its old name, the Education Welfare Team, have collected the child from home and escorted her to school where she has steadfastly refused to stay.

 

The mother has now received two fines which she cannot afford. She is doing everything in her power to work with the school to ensure her daughter's attendance. What exactly is she supposed to do, and in what way do these fines help?

 

Also, the Headteacher has the right to grant 10 days annual holiday during term time at their discretion. It seems to me unfair that some schools will have a HT who allows this, and others HT's who won't. This then creates a very unfair two tier system. Surely legislation should be passed to remove the discretionary element of holiday entitlement, other wise two children could go on the same holiday from two two different schools, with one receiving a fine and the other having it as authorised holiday entitlement.

 

There is alway going to be the odd exception. I would question why the School is fining this particular parent when they know what the score is. I presume that the school is the child's legal guardian once she is there, so perhaps they ought to think about fining themselves if the parent has delivered her and the school has 'lost' her. If I was the parent I wouldn't pay, simple as. Let a Judge sort it out if needs be because she is being treated unfairly.

 

It doesn't detract from the fact that this policy is aimed at bad parents - those who persistently allow their children to turn up late or not at all, for no reason, or those who take their kids out of school early to get cheaper holidays - something the responsible parents don't do. People who don't fit into any of those categories have nothing to worry about.

[huggy41]

we have just booked a bargin AYR in scotland haven 2 bed room sleep 6 caravan superiour no less for £450 2nd August now thats cheap.

[ifhthsbdw]

we have just booked a bargin AYR in scotland haven 2 bed room sleep 6 caravan superiour no less for £450 2nd August now thats cheap.

 

Take your golf clubs if you play - there are some fabulous courses up there from memory, but I am going back a very long way!

[huggy41]

there is a 9 hole on the site .god it was a long walk spoilt by a stupid game . ha ha

[SOD'EM]

Too lazy to read all the posts I'm afraid. But I have already paid one of these fines. Never been anywhere with the kids but last year had enough for a holiday abroad. Couldn't afford to go when the kids where off school, so appealed to the schools kinder nature and explained that the kids would catch up with work. That was not good enough for them. We decided that the £60 fine was still cheaper than booking a holiday when the schools are out.

 

I also sent an email to The Metro newspaper which was printed, but it was last year and will be hard to find now. It basically asked if we (as parents) were allowed to charge the schools £60 for when the teachers go on strike, and the kids are forced to stay off school during term time.

 

It's an absolute disgrace, and a joke. Just another way to raise for for the local authorities coffers.

[Conniff]

What's more important, holiday or their kids' education?

 

 

 

Holidays of course. Have you not heard the saying, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'.

[veganite]

I thought this thread was a joke.

 

Teaching kids the reality of if they don't attend a certain % of school then a PCN is issued is almost certainly bad education.

[goodatresearch]

This is why I don't agree with these penalty charges. You will get some jobsworth who will decide that a child's had to long off with illnesses and will issue one. That isn't what the PC was designed for but some people go on a power trip. I remember my sister being annoyed that the teachers were checking everyone's lunch boxes and ruling whether the meals were nutritious (despite the school dinner that day being stodgy low grade pizza and chips).They removed her sons shop bought flavoured water so he came home after a hot day after drinking nothing at all.

 

All this erosion of parents rights, despite their good intentions, is very worrying. What will be next, doctors notes for every child's absence.

 

 

The way my daughters School is acting they are classing illness absences as unauthorized.

 

I am most definately not a parent who lets their child avoid school/ don't give a damn or take them on holiday in term time.

 

I am quite lucky my kids enjoy school and like going, my daughter is already achieving A/B's at school and she's 14 and a pleasure to have in class.

 

Why should we be fined for an absence thru illness that the school are informed about personally I think that's wrong.

 

For the ones whose parents don't give a damn about schooling for their kids that's a different. matter entirely.

 

Education is very important and I have instilled that in my kids.

[sequenci]

Holidays of course. Have you not heard the saying, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'.

 

You just bumped an old thread there matey

[Conniff]

It got bumped by spam and I did my post before I saw the date, but let it stand any way.

[sequenci]

It got bumped by spam and I did my post before I saw the date, but let it stand any way.