School Holiday Fines

onwards&upwards wrote: »

I really don’t think they are, school carries on as normal with a bunch of kids missing, usually.

It really depends.

One child out = lessons as normal.

More than half the class out = some sort of revision lesson, nothing new.

In between, varies. Might depend on the difficulty of the topic and how vital the work being covered is. Maybe those present get two goes at the new thing.

That's a good question. As far as I know there is no limit. I've trawled the legislation and can't find any limitation and I've not come across one mentioned before.
Our LA sets some targets but they are internal targets to do with efficiency rather than a legal limitation.
Motoring Fixed Penalties have a 6 month issue limitation. That might be just for motoring offences or might more generally apply to the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices.
I would say that the 2 months in your case are very likely within any time limitation, if one even exists.

You don't have to let him though if its a foreign holiday.

It requires the permission of both with parental responsibility to take a minor abroad. If he takes her without your permission then its child abduction. If you do give your permission though then you are guilty too.

cubz90 wrote: »

Is there a limited period in which the school fines can be sent? I took my children on holiday 2 months ago. I received a fine for one child a few days after we returned, but I have only just received the fine for my 2nd child today, 2 months later.

If you are going to be sent a penalty notice (commonly referred to as fines, but that's not technically correct), they have 6 months to do so, well actually 5 months and a few days, because you have to be given 28 days to pay (21 days at £60 per child, per parent, if not paid within that time the cost becomes £120 per child, per parent). This is because they need to lay papers to the court within 6 months.

You also need to be aware, that the local authorities can go straight to prosecution if they wish, they do not have to offer a penalty notice first. There has been some cases like this. Other areas will only offer a penalty notice on x amount of times, then they will go to prosecution. All local authorities are different, you need to look up code of conduct from your own area. However, the code of conduct will be litterred with the word 'may' meaning that they don't have to do exactly what their conduct suggests.

There is no appeal process. If taken to prosecution, unless you have a statuory defence and there are very little defences (not being compulsory school age is one, illness is another, but the onus is on you to prove the illness) you will be found guilty.

Please be aware that some parents are reporting that they have not received the penalty notices through the post and the first they have learnt about it is when a notice to take them to court has come through.

I'm aware of a case recently where this has happened and a clerk at the local authority was able to look this up and confirm letters hadn't been sent out. Not every area has been as thorough in checking this though.