Bolton parents fined hundreds over school absences

Cases brought by Bolton Council in recent weeks involved the parents of children at Little Lever School, Johnson Fold Primary School, St Matthew’s CE Primary School, Halliwell, and Moorgate Primary School.

One parent was left with a £791 bill, while another was handed a community order after admitting more serious school attendance offences.

At Bolton Magistrates’ Court one parent was fined £169 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £68 surcharge, bringing the total to £322, after pleading guilty to an offence for failing to ensure her child attended school regularly.

She was ordered to pay the amount in monthly instalments of £40.

In another case a parent was fined for the same offence.

The court heard the child had failed to attend school regularly in the first term.

He was fined £440 and ordered to pay £175 in costs and a £176 surcharge, leaving a total bill of £791.

A parent admitted two offences relating to the attendance of two children.

The parent was handed a community order requiring her to complete up to 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

She was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £114 surcharge, totalling £319.

The court ordered her to pay £25 per month.

Another was also taken to court over the attendance of a child.

One charge alleged the child failed to attend school regularly.

She was fined £440 and ordered to pay £175 in costs and a £176 surcharge, again bringing the total to £791.

All four cases were brought under the Education Act 1996 by Bolton Council.

Local councils and schools can use various legal powers if children are missing school without a good reason, including parenting orders, education supervision orders, school attendance orders and fixed-penalty notices.

Parents prosecuted for school attendance offences can face fines and, in the most serious cases, imprisonment.