Government's strict measures
Parents who allow their children to miss five days of school could face a hefty £160 fine as part of a government campaign to improve attendance.
Sharing absence data
Headteachers will now be required to share absence data to help authorities monitor at-risk children who may be slipping through the cracks.
Education Secretary's commitment
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is determined to combat truancy rates that have increased in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fine details
The crackdown comes as the unauthorised absence rate for the current academic year hovers around 2.2%, with approximately 200,200 children already skipping school.
Increasing penalties
Under the new rules, fines will escalate from £60 to £80 if paid within three weeks, and from £120 to £160 if paid within four weeks.
Implementation timeline
The stricter regulations, set to take effect in August, aim to address attendance issues before the start of the next school year in September.
Minister's perspective
Education Secretary Keegan attributed the rise in absences to the global impact of lockdowns on schools and the deteriorating mental health of students.
Union opposition
Despite the government's intentions, the National Education Union criticized the fines, arguing that they would only worsen the financial strain on families already struggling to make ends meet.
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