Derbyshire Times video bulletin, March 13

Derbyshire Times

Here's today's bulletin, as a Derbyshire mum's petition on school-absence fines gets over 100,000 backers, potentially triggering a debate in parliament

Transcript

00:00Here's today's Derbyshire Times video bulletin.

00:05A Derbyshire Mums petition to allow children time off during the school term without parents

00:10being fined has been signed by more than 107,000 people, possibly securing a debate in Parliament

00:16on the subject.

00:18More than 3,000 people across Derbyshire alone have backed Natalie Elliott's online petition

00:22titled, Allow parents to take their children out of school for up to 10 days fine-free.

00:28The sheer number of backers now having reached six figures means the topic is to be considered

00:33for debate in the House of Commons.

00:36New legislation in place since September 2024 allows local councils to fine each parent

00:42up to £80 when their child is off school.

00:45If a child is off school three or more times within three years, parents will not be automatically

00:50fined, but may be taken to court where they can be fined up to £2,500, receive a community

00:56order or even a jail sentence of up to three months.

01:00This is an increase in the cost of fines to the previous rules in place.

01:03Miss Elliott, who is from Ripley, is leading the campaign to reform the policy that prevents

01:08parents from taking their children out of school during term time.

01:12She said,

01:13Even though the Education Department insists that every school day matters and all parents

01:17agree that education is important, they don't seem to consider that sometimes life happens.

01:23There are children with special educational needs and disabilities, some children have

01:27mental health problems, and some families have relatives far away.

01:31Sometimes these absences need to be taken for the benefit of the child, but the strict

01:35new laws that were introduced have caused schools to become far less lenient, but all

01:39that pressure is coming from above.

01:44A charity which manages one of North Derbyshire's oldest buildings has been awarded over £200,000

01:50of National Lottery funding to preserve the heritage centre for future generations.

01:54Dromfield Heritage Trust is celebrating the award of the Grade II listed Dromfield Hall

01:59Barn which was restored and extended 10 years ago.

02:02The National Lottage Heritage Fund says the grant is to improve organisational sustainability

02:07and maintain Dromfield Hall Barn as a heritage centre and a community hub.

02:12The fund supported the 2015 restoration of the building which dates back as far as 1430.

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