‘It will get even WORSE,’ families fume as school threatens to charge parents £6 for late pick-ups
PARENTS have been left fuming after a school threatened to charge parents £6 if they are late to pick up their children.
St Peter’s Church of England Primary School in Folkestone, Kent, says it comes after increasing incidences of pupils being picked up late.
In a newsletter to parents, headteacher Toni Browne said parents turning up late without notifying the office prevents staff from being able to get on with work.
She warned that under the new rules, which came into place this month, any students left behind after the pick-up time will be placed in an after-school club and their parents will be charged for the privilege.
Mrs Browne wrote: “We have an increasing number of children who are being collected late at the end of the day, without the office being informed or any apology to staff.
“Staff have work to complete once children have been dismissed and arriving late to collect your child prevents staff from being able to get on with their work.
“From Term 2, children who are collected late from school on more than one occasion, will be put into after school club and a fee of £6.00 will apply.
“We understand that occasionally lateness can’t be avoided and in these cases it is important you call the school office, so we know you are running late.”
Folkestone Harbour ward councillor Nicola Keen, who represents the area where the school is based, has backed the policy.
She said: “I don’t think this is unreasonable as children can be very anxious if their parents are late to pick them up.
“It does not take long for parents to let the school know if they are going to be late. I just encourage all parents to communicate clearly with them.
“I would be very surprised if the school would actually have to enforce this.
“The pastoral care within this school is absolutely amazing.”
However, the move hasn’t gone down particularly well with some parents.
One mum wrote online: “If I get charged I’ll have to leave him there even longer,” before adding a laughing emoji.
COULD MAKE PROBLEM ‘WORSE’
Another commentator said: “Previous studies have shown that the main problem with policies like this is that it can actually lead to the problem getting worse as people can start to see the charge as a payment for a service and therefore feel less guilt about doing it.
“In this case the £6 for having the school look after their kid might seem like a good deal and so more parents might start leaving their kids.”
Others though sided with the headteacher.
One person added: “It’s a school not a childminding service so yes charge for late pickups. Teachers have enough to do once school has finished for the day.”
A second commentator thought: “Well done that Headteacher! What the school are doing is perfectly reasonable, asking these parents just to do what all the other parents are already doing by accessing a paid after school childcare club.
“I am sure that if there was a real emergency where a parent was late, the school would take this into account but for other parents who are just always late this is a great idea!”
While a third said: “I think this is a fantastic idea!! Parents, myself included, pay for after school club for my son as we both are unable to pick him up at the end of school due to work commitments!!
“So why shouldn’t these poor time keepers pay as well?!?!?
“My only concern here is how they intend to enforce the payment of the £6!?!”
PUPILS PUT INTO AFTER-SCHOOL CLUB
Kent County Council said no parent has been charged since the new fee came into place this term.
A spokesman for the local authority said: “Parents were informed at the start of November 2023 that pupils who are collected late from school on more than one occasion, will be put into after-school club and a fee of £6 may be applied.
“The school appreciates that there may be occasions where late collection is unavoidable and simply asks that parents keep the school informed.
“The school works closely with parents and since this announcement was made no parent has been asked to make such a payment.”
The Sun Online has contacted the school for comment.
In January last year, parents hit out after a school introduced a £5 fine for every half-an-hour they were late in picking-up their kids.
A Kent school also came under fire for saying they would fine parents £1 for every five minutes they were late for pick up