Saunders thinks she would be ‘better off pleading guilty’ because she took her daughter out personally, which would also mean there would be no court appearance.
According to West Sussex County Council, the DfE has instructed head teachers to take a firm stand against unapproved breaks throughout the academic year.
“We adhere to the DfE National Guidelines on the use and issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices in such cases, guaranteeing a consistency of approach and practice,”
The spokeswoman went on. Unpaid penalties are submitted to the court system, where parents may, if they so desire, provide mitigation.
“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 to all cases.”
