Absence minded

Labour vows to crack down on parents whose kids skip school

- LIZZY BUCHAN

CHILDREN should not miss school for holidays and birthday treats and parents who let them do so should face fines, Labour's school chief has said.

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it was a "mark of disrespect" for kids to miss class for no good reason as it harms their life chances and causes disruption to other pupils.

Parents must take responsibility for ensuring their children go to school or risk fines, she warned.

In a speech at the Centre for Social Justice think-tank yesterday, Ms Phillipson set out her plans to tackle the attendance crisis after long-term absence rates shot up following the pandemic.