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Parents in England and Wales could be fined if they keep children off school Parents in England could be fined if they keep children off school
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Schools minister Nick Gibb says fines would be used as ‘last resort’ as PM says risk of children getting Covid-19 is small Schools minister Nick Gibb says fines would be ‘last resort’ as PM says risk of children getting Covid-19 is small
Parents in England and Wales could be fined if they decide to keep their children off school from September, the schools minister, Nick Gibb, has said. Parents in England could be fined if they decide to keep their children off school from September, the schools minister, Nick Gibb, has said.
Financial penalties would be a “last resort” but were still available to local authorities if youngsters were kept away from the classroom, he said.Financial penalties would be a “last resort” but were still available to local authorities if youngsters were kept away from the classroom, he said.
It came as Boris Johnson spoke of a “moral duty” to get children back into education after five months of absence due to the coronavirus pandemic and said the risk of picking up the virus in schools was small. Boris Johnson spoke of a “moral duty” to get children back into education after five months of absence due to the coronavirus pandemic and said the risk of picking up the virus in schools was small.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Gibb said: “Fines for non-attendance have always been a last resort for headteachers in schools. What matters is that young people are attending school.Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Gibb said: “Fines for non-attendance have always been a last resort for headteachers in schools. What matters is that young people are attending school.
“We live in a country where education is compulsory and I think parents can be reassured that the measures that schools are taking to make sure that we minimise the risk of the transmission of the virus are very effective.”“We live in a country where education is compulsory and I think parents can be reassured that the measures that schools are taking to make sure that we minimise the risk of the transmission of the virus are very effective.”
He said he had visited schools preparing for the return next week that had devised new safety measures such as “bubble zones” to keep the same group of children together. He said he had visited schools preparing for the return next week that had devised safety measures such as “bubble zones” to keep the same group of children together.
Other measures might include installing more hand basins, more hand sanitiser, different entrances being opened around the school, and pupils having their own designated keyboards. Other measures might include installing more hand-basins and hand-sanitiser, different entrances being opened around the school, and pupils having their own designated keyboards.
Headteachers should be able to reassure families that the measures they had taken meant it was safe for children to come back, he suggested, without the need for the local authority to issue penalty notices. Headteachers should be able to reassure families that the measures they had taken meant it was safe for children to come back, Gibb suggested, without the need for the local authority to issue penalty notices.
“If they have got extra concerns that’s a matter between the headteacher and the family,” he said.“If they have got extra concerns that’s a matter between the headteacher and the family,” he said.
The fines for unauthorised absences are £60 rising to £120 if there is a delay in paying it. They are often applied to people to who take their children out of school in term time for holidays.The fines for unauthorised absences are £60 rising to £120 if there is a delay in paying it. They are often applied to people to who take their children out of school in term time for holidays.
There would be no change to this system in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Gibb suggested.There would be no change to this system in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Gibb suggested.
In a second interview with BBC Breakfast, he said: “Fines are available. We haven’t suspended the law on that issue from September onwards, but, knowing headteachers as I do, they use that measure absolutely as a very last resort and in the current climate they will want to be talking to parents to allay their concerns.”In a second interview with BBC Breakfast, he said: “Fines are available. We haven’t suspended the law on that issue from September onwards, but, knowing headteachers as I do, they use that measure absolutely as a very last resort and in the current climate they will want to be talking to parents to allay their concerns.”
The deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, said that children were more at risk from seasonal flu than coronavirus in an interview with Sky News on Monday. The deputy chief medical officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, said in an interview with Sky News on Monday that children were more at risk from seasonal flu than coronavirus.
Death from the illness would be exceptionally rare and when children do get an infection it is very mild and sometimes asymptomatic, she said. Death from the illness would be exceptionally rare and when children do get an infection it was very mild and sometimes asymptomatic, she said.
The shadow education secretary, Kate Green, accused the government of going “missing in action” and being “asleep at the wheel”. She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “The guidance that’s been given to schools is one-size-fits-all. It doesn’t take account of the fact that a small school, perhaps in very constrained premises, will have to make different arrangements from a large inner-city school.The shadow education secretary, Kate Green, accused the government of going “missing in action” and being “asleep at the wheel”. She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “The guidance that’s been given to schools is one-size-fits-all. It doesn’t take account of the fact that a small school, perhaps in very constrained premises, will have to make different arrangements from a large inner-city school.
“There hasn’t been information for school leaders, so that they can’t plan what they might have to do if there was a sudden spike in the local infection rate and the guidance that has come out I think has been – it’s been contradictory, it’s been confusing, it came very late, shortly before the summer holidays.”“There hasn’t been information for school leaders, so that they can’t plan what they might have to do if there was a sudden spike in the local infection rate and the guidance that has come out I think has been – it’s been contradictory, it’s been confusing, it came very late, shortly before the summer holidays.”
Many pupils in England have not been to class since March, when schools were closed except to look after vulnerable children and those of keyworkers. Many pupils in England have not attended classes since March, when schools were closed except to look after vulnerable children and those of keyworkers.
Schools in Scotland reopened earlier this month, while those in Northern Ireland were welcoming pupils again on Monday. English and Welsh schools will follow suit in September.Schools in Scotland reopened earlier this month, while those in Northern Ireland were welcoming pupils again on Monday. English and Welsh schools will follow suit in September.