Parents to be fined if they don’t send their kids back to school in September

From September it will be mandatory that children attend school and parents will face a fine if they don’t.

Until now only a small percentage of students have returned to classrooms in England, and it was confirmed in the latest announcement that this will stay the same until after summer holidays, when all children will be expected to return to school as a compulsory measure. 

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has now confirmed that parents will face a fine if they don’t send their kids back to school come September. 

Speaking on LBC, Mr Williamson said: “It is going to be compulsory for children to return back to school unless there is a very good reason, or a local spike.

“We have to get back into compulsory education, and as part of that fines sit alongside that.”

He added: “Unless there was a good reason for the absence then we would be looking at the fact that we would be imposing fines on families if they were not sending children back.”

Mr Williamson said the government are working on how to get children back in school, and that we should expect a detailed plan this week.

He added: “As I’m sure you’ll understand and appreciate at the moment, we’re consulting and talking with different people, whether it’s headteachers, whether it’s unions, whether it’s representative bodies.”

For now, reception, year one and year six students have returned to school, and parents who chose to keep their kids at home haven’t been faced with fines.

At the number 10 Downing Street briefing Boris Johnson said there is no need for children to be missing out on their education. 

He said: “It has also been very good to see more and more children coming back to school this week.

“Some secondary school pupils now returning for face to face contact with their teachers ahead of the exams next year, but I want to say to all parents whose children are eligible to return in primary school – and there are loads of them – I want to assure you it is safe.

“There is no need for your kids to miss out on their education. I hope they will go to school.”