She took her child on a holiday during the school term, resulting in them missing six days of school.
A mother is now concerned about the security of her career after receiving a penalty fine for taking her daughter out of school during term time for a holiday.
Natalie Saunders took her eight-year-old daughter on a week-long trip to Bodrum, Turkey, in May of this year.
However, now fully aware of the consequences of removing her child from school for that length of time, she is unlikely to repeat the decision.
Although Saunders, a mother-of-one, admitted she knew the trip would result in an unauthorised absence and a £60 fine, she had no idea the situation would escalate to something much more serious.
The 44-year-old returned from her £900 sun-soaked trip, thinking she was in the clear after not receiving a penalty fine notice in the mail.
Saunders, who works in risk and compliance, never followed up on the charge and believed, based on what she had heard, that she wasn’t “guaranteed” to receive one.
However, a letter from West Sussex County Council this August proved her wrong. The letter informed her that she had not paid the fine, and now a court date was set.
The Brit has received a single justice procedure notice, indicating she is being charged under Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996. This means she could face a criminal conviction and a £1,000 fine.
The Act states that if a child of compulsory school age, who is a registered pupil at a school, does not attend regularly, their parent is guilty of an offence, unless they can prove there was a ‘reasonable justification’ for the absence.
After receiving the investigation letter, Saunders reached out to West Sussex County Council, but they are determined to proceed with legal action.
The mother is shocked, pointing out that it is up to her to “prove she hasn’t received the letter,” rather than the council needing to prove they sent it.
Even after claiming she paid the fine late, the payments were refunded, and she has been given until November 26 to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
Saunders, from Crawley, admitted she was “happy to pay the £60 fine,” noting that it was “a lot cheaper” to travel during the school term.
Highlighting her child’s good attendance and believing that “the fine wasn’t guaranteed,” Saunders assumed she was in the clear.
“The first letter that I received, which would have been the second letter they sent (West Sussex County Council), was dated July 18th, but I didn’t receive it until August 24th,” she revealed.
Saunders explained, “The idea of getting a criminal record is devastating. I’m a good person. If I wasn’t, I would have just taken my daughter off ‘ill’ for those six days. Even if the truth is bad, it’s better than lying.
“It’s a criminal record. I don’t want this against my name. I’ve got a good job and work in risk and compliance, and I’m studying for a diploma to further my career. This could stop me in my tracks. It could ruin everything.”
Saunders also pointed out the “poor” postal service in her area, saying, “I haven’t seen any proof from them (the council) that they have posted the letter.”
She added, “There are lots of mitigating circumstances that they are considering in this. West Sussex County Council are using the Royal Mail, which is just not delivering.”
“In Crawley, my MP told me there is a shortage of staff at Royal Mail, and Crawley is one of the top five worst performing towns in the UK.”
Now, Saunders says she “would never” take her child out of school again, explaining that she feels “better off pleading guilty” since she made the decision to take her daughter out herself. This would also mean avoiding a court hearing.
West Sussex County Council stated that headteachers are directed by the Department for Education (DfE) to take a firm stance on unauthorised holidays during term time.
A spokesperson explained, “We follow the DfE National Guidelines on the use and issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices in such cases, ensuring a consistency of approach and practice. Unpaid fines are referred to the court process, where parents can provide their mitigation should they choose.”
The spokesperson added, “In all cases, the Fixed Penalty Notice and legal services teams follow the established legal process and the published code of conduct to ensure consistency and fairness in all cases.”
Peter Lamb, Natalie Saunders’ Labour MP for Crawley, who has been in communication with her regarding the incident, argued that the council’s refusal to accept her late fine is ultimately jeopardizing the child’s well-being.
Lamb stated, “We can all appreciate the importance of avoiding unauthorised absences, but the county council’s decision to prosecute Ms Saunders when she has indicated that she would pay a fine—putting at risk her employment—amounts to risking the future well-being of a child while wasting taxpayer money in the process.”
Saunders also reached out to Royal Mail after the letter was not delivered. A Royal Mail spokesperson responded, saying, “We take the delivery of mail very seriously and work to ensure all items are delivered on time. We have taken strides to improve our service in Crawley and nationally.
“If a customer is concerned about deliveries on their route, we encourage them to contact us directly so we can investigate.”
