I took my daughter out of school for historic event teacher said was ‘amazing’ – but now we’ve been hit by £60 fine
A DAD took his daughter out of school for a historic event her teacher said was “amazing” – but has now been hit by a £60 fine.
Kent man Neil Young took his daughter Emily to Normandy for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Neil said he told St Anselm’s Catholic School in Canterbury a month in advance – and assumed they were all set after getting no reply.
But two days into the “once in a lifetime trip” an attendance officer rang Neil asking why Emily had not showed up at school.
He forwarded the email requesting leave – and relaxed when he got a reply calling the trip an “amazing opportunity”.
A member of staff added: “I hope Emily and yourselves enjoy the experience and get a lot out of it.”
But the next day Neil got another email – telling him the absence had not been authorised and he faced a £60 fine.
He told the Kent Messenger: “It was no holiday and every day was educational.
“It wasn’t a trip to Spain where we sat on the beach and did nothing.
“Emily wants to do history as a GCSE. I think it is disgraceful the school has done this.”
Neil works as a mechanic restoring military vehicles and was invited to the D-Day commemoration by a Second World War history society.
In his email requesting leave for Emily, Neil told the school it was a “educational and historic trip”.
He said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Emily and us to meet and thank the last remaining veterans.
“We would be a part of history at such an iconic landmark year, and such opportunities cannot be missed.
Neil added: “This year could be the last year any D-Day veterans may see.”
The family visited D-Day museums, three different war cemeteries and a number of memorials on the trip.
They also met surviving D-Day veterans and laid a plaque for Emily’s great-grandfather at the British Normandy Memorial.
Neil challenged the school’s decision – only to get an email from the assistant head teacher.
It read: “I understand you are upset regarding the decision of the school to not authorise this event.
“I recognise that this is a fantastic opportunity for Emily, however, unfortunately the decision was not to authorise.
“This is due to Emily not being a direct part in the activities listed above.
“Although she is experiencing these she is not required to attend and therefore we cannot authorise the absence from her education.”
What was D-Day?
EIGHTY years ago Allied launched the Second World War campaign that opened the path to peace and freedom in western Europe.
On June 6, 1944, the Allied Forces of Britain, America, Canada, and Free France attacked German forces on the coast of Normandy.
With a huge force of over 150,000 soldiers, the Allies attacked and gained a victory that became the turning point for World War II in Europe.
Bad weather almost caused the attack, scheduled for June 5, to be called off.
But as the Germans weren’t expecting it for the same reason, they were unprepared when the attack came.
An invasion force of over 6,000 ships carrying troops, weapons, tanks, and equipment approached the beaches of Normandy.
By the end of D-Day over 150,000 troops had landed in Normandy – with 4,413 dying on D-Day alone.
They pushed their way inland allowing more troops to land over the next several days.
Within five days 326,547 troops and 104,428 tons of supplies had landed on the beaches.
By June 17 over half a million Allied troops had arrived and they began to push the Germans out of France.
The attack, known as Operation Overlord, included a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France.
The landings were followed by the 76-day Battle of Normandy, with a total of 210,000 Allied casualties including American, British and Canadian.
They were backed up by Australian, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French, Greek, New Zealand, Norwegian, Rhodesian and Polish naval, air or ground support.
A penalty notice landed on the family’s doormat this week – giving them 21 days to pay £60 before the fine is doubled.
But the school appears to have made a U-turn, telling the Kent Messenger the fine was an “administrative error”.
A spokesperson said: “The parents are not being fined as this was an administrative error that has been rectified.
“We are carrying out Kent County Council policy but acknowledge these are exceptional circumstances and have reviewed the coding.”
Kent County Council said GDPR rules prevent it from discussing individual fines.
Under current rules, head teachers decide whether leave is authorised in exceptional circumstances.
The council is obliged to issue fines requested by a school as long as it complies with the code of conduct.
What school fines can parents receive?
THE main issue that can lead to parents receiving a fine is missing school.
Currently, it’s the decision of the local council whether or not to issue a parent a fine for their child missing school.
However, from August this year, the fine for absences will up to the school to consider – when a child has missed 10 or more sessions for unauthorised reasons.
And the fine will be £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days – this is issued to EACH parent.
It’s the first time the fine has been increased since 2012, and is in line with inflation.
If a parent receives a second fine for the same child within three years, this will automatically be charged at the higher rate of £160.
Fines will be capped at two fines within a three-year period.
After this limit has been reached, prosecution or a parenting order may be considered.
According to the official government website, there are only five reasons your child should be absent from school if the school is open.
These are as follows:
- Your child is too ill to attend that day
- You have asked in advance and been given permission by the school for your child to be absent on that day due to exceptional circumstances
- Your child cannot attend school on that day because it is a day you are taking part in religious observance
- Your local authority is responsible for arranging your child’s transport to school and it is not available on that day or has not been provided yet
- You are a Traveller family with no fixed abode, and you are required to travel for work that day meaning your child cannot attend their usual school