|
By law, all children of compulsory school age
between 5 and 16 must recieve full-time
education.
You as parent/carer are responsible for making sure this happens
either by registering your child at school or by making other
arrangements which provide effective education.
Failing to send a child to the school at which he/she is a
registered pupil is what is known as an 'absolute' offence. In law,
there are only a few defences to this charge, which of course
includes where a child is absent as a result of sickness, other
unavoidable cause, or absent with the permission of the
Headteacher.
The Education
Act 1996 states the following:
'If a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a
school fails to attend regularly at the school, his/her parent is
guilty of an offence'.
The Government, as part of its drive to improve educational
achievement, wants parents to acknowledge their
responsibilities.
Therefore, parents who know that their child is failing to
attend school regularly and take no reasonable action to secure
their attendance can have the following with a penalty notice for
their child's poor attendance or lateness. A fine of £50 (if paid
within 28 days) increasing to £100 (and paid within 42 days). If
the fine is not paid, court prosecution automatically follows.
Fast track prosecution to court within 12 weeks of a formal
meeting at the Town
Hall. |