Councils have warned parents that they could face fines of up to £120 - which will be halved if they pay within 21 days - if their children are late for registration.
There is also the threat of prosecution, and prison, if parents refuse to pay.
Southend in Essex even has teachers standing at the school gates, so that they are able to question parents about why their children are not arriving on time.
"We want children to be in school and there comes a time where we have no further options"
Anne Jones, Southend’s councillor for children and learning, said: “We do not want to be prosecuting parents but we also want children to be in school and there comes a time where we have no further options.”
The policy differs depending on which county you live in; in Hampshire, nearly 500 primary and secondary schools wrote letters to parents of pupils, informing them that they will fine parents £60 if their children are late more than 10 times in one term.
In Islington, North London, the fines will be issued if a child is late 12 times during a period of six weeks.
In Wales the fines will apply for any child late for at least 10 sessions per half term.
However there are some exceptions to the rule; a doctor’s note, a dentist’s note or “exceptional circumstances” will all be accepted as valid reasons for being late.
Margaret Morrissey, from Parents Outloud, told the Daily Mail: “For some families, the money they will be fined will be very important to them and it will be the children who lose out.”
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