The system is available to any head teacher in the country, but only a few have put it in place so far.
One such school is Emerson Valley school in Milton Keynes, where parents are fined £60 if their children miss registration ten times in a 12-week term. They then have 21 days to pay the fine, before it doubles.
If they refuse to pay the fine, they could face court action.
Defending the system, an Emerson Valley spokesman said:
‘The link between good attendance and pupils achieving well at school is clear.’
'Taking money away from struggling parents could just make a bad situation worse.’
Milton Keynes Council said it had ‘a borough-wide policy in place’, but claims most problems are resolved by a warning letter.
However Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, warned:
‘They could undermine relations between school and parents – the cornerstone of any school’s success.’
Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard said:
‘Children who are frequently late to school are often from chaotic family backgrounds. Taking money away from struggling parents could just make a bad situation worse.’
Do you think this system will improve pupils’ time-keeping? Or do you think a fine will make the situation worse? Let us know in the comments box below.