‘Cheap travel is not a defence’: the parents facing court for school absences in England

‘Cheap travel is not a defence’: the parents facing court for school absences in England

Nine parents appeared in Margate magistrates court during mid-August facing charges related to their children’s school absences during the preceding academic year. The cases reflected an ongoing government effort to improve attendance rates, which have remained elevated since pandemic-related school closures ended. Potential penalties ranged from fines to theoretical imprisonment, contingent upon the circumstances surrounding each absence. One d…