Fined for taking a 4 year old out of school
Discussion
This is just another case of taxing/ ripping of the honest law abiding citizen. I wonder what would happen if you just told them f
k off im not paying.
I mean some of the scrotes of school age you see hanging around in cities centres during school time I bet they don’t get fined or get fined and refuse to pay go to court and if they then have to pay pay just a few quid a week.
I’m sorry but it’s about time the state stopped thinking it rules a child’s life. Slightly off topic but what about the kid who need proton therapy last year. NHS and courts fought hard and the family just fked off to Croatia or some such country because the NHS didn’t provide the treatment. Transpired the parents were right too.
fking courts and asshole doctor telling the parents what to do. I could understand it if the NHS were offering the treatment or some alternative but the NHS solution was ‘tough st it’s all we can do and your not taking your own kid’.
State meddling in what’s not their business, I could understand if the kid had been missing all school or massive amounts but 1 week at age 4 FFS. What’s the world coming too. I’m glad I don’t have kids.
k off im not paying.I mean some of the scrotes of school age you see hanging around in cities centres during school time I bet they don’t get fined or get fined and refuse to pay go to court and if they then have to pay pay just a few quid a week.
I’m sorry but it’s about time the state stopped thinking it rules a child’s life. Slightly off topic but what about the kid who need proton therapy last year. NHS and courts fought hard and the family just f
ked off to Croatia or some such country because the NHS didn’t provide the treatment. Transpired the parents were right too. f
king courts and asshole doctor telling the parents what to do. I could understand it if the NHS were offering the treatment or some alternative but the NHS solution was ‘tough st it’s all we can do and your not taking your own kid’. State meddling in what’s not their business, I could understand if the kid had been missing all school or massive amounts but 1 week at age 4 FFS. What’s the world coming too. I’m glad I don’t have kids.
otolith said:
Poor child. His education will never recover from missing that week of finger painting.
To be fair, week one of foundation is a big adjustment for most kids and a heavy workload on the teachers and it is much easier for them to phase in a full cohort. Of all the weeks to not be in class...
otolith said:
Poor child. His education will never recover from missing that week of finger painting.
My four year old has started this year. One of the gripes I have with my catchment school which is the same distance as other primary we wanted is their part time staggered . With my first child we went for the other school and go told no not in catchment. Doesn’t stop people the other side of town blagging the system and getting the school the other side of town.My daughters first week was 9 till 11, that was Wednesday - fri as as Monday Tuesday were inset days in our area anyway.
Second week 9-11.30
This week 9/12.30 with them staying for lunch.
It’s been a nightmare for us.
Steve H said:
If parents used them with some sense instead of increasingly ignoring them in favour of a cheaper holiday I rather suspect it wouldn't have become an issue.
It’s not just the price as my wife is nhs worker I have been able to permission to take my child out in a week in June that has an inset day anyway.Friends of ours have paid close more than twice the amount we did the resort was rammed and they had to Que for everything and cwnr get sun loungers some days. If too many people go on school holidays these places become over crowded.
Steve H said:
If parents used them with some sense instead of increasingly ignoring them in favour of a cheaper holiday I rather suspect it wouldn't have become an issue.
For some people it is the difference between having a holiday and not. Childhood is about an array of experiences, holidays included.It makes not a jot of difference to a foundation child being taken our for a week. In all probability they will be out for a week anyway due to colds, etc with the array of new germs. It matters later on.
BUT it isn't fair on the teachers or the child in the first week of foundation as there is so much being introduced in the classroom. Take them out after a few weeks of settling in, or pick a week either side of half term for cost reduction...
Our school is fortunately pragmatic - they only fine for a full school week (Mon-Fri) of unauthorised absence. The trick? Take the Holiday Friday-Thursday, back in school for the Friday...
speedyguy said:
Because schools offer a well rounded life experience 
or are a battery farm for kids based on usually coached academic results
The rules are pathetic and need to be used with sense. Something sadly lacking in schools/teachers/education.
You need to deal with the rules as they are, not as you’d like them to be. or are a battery farm for kids based on usually coached academic resultsThe rules are pathetic and need to be used with sense. Something sadly lacking in schools/teachers/education.
If you don’t want to follow them then people should at least have the grace to take the penalty when it comes.
Vaud said:
For some people it is the difference between having a holiday and not. Childhood is about an array of experiences, holidays included.
It makes not a jot of difference to a foundation child being taken our for a week. In all probability they will be out for a week anyway due to colds, etc with the array of new germs. It matters later on.
BUT it isn't fair on the teachers or the child in the first week of foundation as there is so much being introduced in the classroom. Take them out after a few weeks of settling in, or pick a week either side of half term for cost reduction...
Our school is fortunately pragmatic - they only fine for a full school week (Mon-Fri) of unauthorised absence. The trick? Take the Holiday Friday-Thursday, back in school for the Friday...
It's not pragmatic its just a child has to miss 10 consecutive sessions, each school day is 2 sessions. So you need for school days consecutively to be able to be fined.It makes not a jot of difference to a foundation child being taken our for a week. In all probability they will be out for a week anyway due to colds, etc with the array of new germs. It matters later on.
BUT it isn't fair on the teachers or the child in the first week of foundation as there is so much being introduced in the classroom. Take them out after a few weeks of settling in, or pick a week either side of half term for cost reduction...
Our school is fortunately pragmatic - they only fine for a full school week (Mon-Fri) of unauthorised absence. The trick? Take the Holiday Friday-Thursday, back in school for the Friday...
We also use a week with a inset day anyway to lesson the impact.
As many of us and OP have said, age 4 is below the compulsory school age. The fines guidance states they must be of compulsory school age to get a fine, and the word compulsory would suggest that is it at that point that you have to abide by the legislation, hence being 4, there is no such requirement
I think whilst they may say there is no right of appeal, I would suggest some legal advice / letter to the LEA on the subject would be warranted, depending on how much they want to spend. THen, of course, there is the trial by social media / internet, which may be far more damaging to the LEA and their bigwigs. Because you can bet that quite a few of their kids go to private school and hence will not be subject to this supposedly necessary for the good of all kids' education!
It is the most stupid legislation out there, as it does not allow for schools to apply any mitigation to the whole thing, and doesn't stop the serial abusers who are scum bags that don't pay the fines anyway!
I think whilst they may say there is no right of appeal, I would suggest some legal advice / letter to the LEA on the subject would be warranted, depending on how much they want to spend. THen, of course, there is the trial by social media / internet, which may be far more damaging to the LEA and their bigwigs. Because you can bet that quite a few of their kids go to private school and hence will not be subject to this supposedly necessary for the good of all kids' education!
It is the most stupid legislation out there, as it does not allow for schools to apply any mitigation to the whole thing, and doesn't stop the serial abusers who are scum bags that don't pay the fines anyway!
poo at Paul's said:
As many of us and OP have said, age 4 is below the compulsory school age. The fines guidance states they must be of compulsory school age to get a fine, and the word compulsory would suggest that is it at that point that you have to abide by the legislation, hence being 4, there is no such requirement
I think whilst they may say there is no right of appeal, I would suggest some legal advice / letter to the LEA on the subject would be warranted, depending on how much they want to spend. THen, of course, there is the trial by social media / internet, which may be far more damaging to the LEA and their bigwigs. Because you can bet that quite a few of their kids go to private school and hence will not be subject to this supposedly necessary for the good of all kids' education!
It is the most stupid legislation out there, as it does not allow for schools to apply any mitigation to the whole thing, and doesn't stop the serial abusers who are scum bags that don't pay the fines anyway!
I think the point of "no appeal" is that you can't appeal a valid fine, so any correspondence should avoid "appeal". The fine should be rescinded as it has been applied against the statuary guidelines (with reference) that the school and LEA are bound by?I think whilst they may say there is no right of appeal, I would suggest some legal advice / letter to the LEA on the subject would be warranted, depending on how much they want to spend. THen, of course, there is the trial by social media / internet, which may be far more damaging to the LEA and their bigwigs. Because you can bet that quite a few of their kids go to private school and hence will not be subject to this supposedly necessary for the good of all kids' education!
It is the most stupid legislation out there, as it does not allow for schools to apply any mitigation to the whole thing, and doesn't stop the serial abusers who are scum bags that don't pay the fines anyway!
Vaud said:
I think the point of "no appeal" is that you can't appeal a valid fine, so any correspondence should avoid "appeal". The fine should be rescinded as it has been applied against the statuary guidelines (with reference) that the school and LEA are bound by?
I take your point and agree. OP get your mates to get to the papers and media, it's an overzealous legislation anyway, even when "correctly" applied and in this case I don't think it has been.
poo at Paul's said:
I take your point and agree.
OP get your mates to get to the papers and media, it's an overzealous legislation anyway, even when "correctly" applied and in this case I don't think it has been.
Why the press? Save that option when all else fails. OP get your mates to get to the papers and media, it's an overzealous legislation anyway, even when "correctly" applied and in this case I don't think it has been.
People make mistakes. Give them a chance to firstly understand that they have made and error, and secondly to withdraw the fine.
No need for trial by media when the other party hasn't been informed!
MB140 said:
This is just another case of taxing/ ripping of the honest law abiding citizen. I wonder what would happen if you just told them fk off im not paying.
I mean some of the scrotes of school age you see hanging around in cities centres during school time I bet they don’t get fined or get fined and refuse to pay go to court and if they then have to pay pay just a few quid a week.
I’m sorry but it’s about time the state stopped thinking it rules a child’s life. Slightly off topic but what about the kid who need proton therapy last year. NHS and courts fought hard and the family just fked off to Croatia or some such country because the NHS didn’t provide the treatment. Transpired the parents were right too.
fking courts and asshole doctor telling the parents what to do. I could understand it if the NHS were offering the treatment or some alternative but the NHS solution was ‘tough st it’s all we can do and your not taking your own kid’.
State meddling in what’s not their business, I could understand if the kid had been missing all school or massive amounts but 1 week at age 4 FFS. What’s the world coming too. I’m glad I don’t have kids.
Yes, this... all of this.k off im not paying.I mean some of the scrotes of school age you see hanging around in cities centres during school time I bet they don’t get fined or get fined and refuse to pay go to court and if they then have to pay pay just a few quid a week.
I’m sorry but it’s about time the state stopped thinking it rules a child’s life. Slightly off topic but what about the kid who need proton therapy last year. NHS and courts fought hard and the family just f
ked off to Croatia or some such country because the NHS didn’t provide the treatment. Transpired the parents were right too. f
king courts and asshole doctor telling the parents what to do. I could understand it if the NHS were offering the treatment or some alternative but the NHS solution was ‘tough st it’s all we can do and your not taking your own kid’. State meddling in what’s not their business, I could understand if the kid had been missing all school or massive amounts but 1 week at age 4 FFS. What’s the world coming too. I’m glad I don’t have kids.
Don't know how I'm going to handle it once my lot are at school.
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