Mum hit with £120 fine for letting daughter skip school because she's 'too depressed to attend'

A mum has hit out at her daughter's school after she was fined £120 when her daughter failed to attend because of poor mental health.

Natasha Beauvois explained that her daughter, Maisie, 14, has been 'too depressed to attend' Pimlico Academy in London and suffers from anxiety and panic attacks too.

The mum told My London: "She doesn't want to go to school, what can I do? She just says she's sorry and she does not want to go."

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Natasha explained that her daughter's difficulty attending school began after the pandemic, which saw many pupils learning from home for an extended period of time.

The mum has now slammed the school for something she claims is out of her control.

"She hasn't been going to school properly since Covid. It's unfair that parents are being fined," Natasha said.

"I know you are responsible to get them to school but what do you do if they don't want to go? How far does the responsibility go?"

Natasha ultimately found herself in court when she refused to pay the fine from Pimlico Academy for her daughter's lack of attendance.

She said that the school should have more support in place for pupils like her daughter who find it difficult to attend.

"They have done a few things but nothing substantial," she said.

"Once she is in there it's almost like that's it. She's in school and that's all they seem concerned about.

"She's a very clever girl and it's going to waste because she's not going into school."

The mum explained that her daughter has sought help from her GP for her mental health struggles.

In a bid to solve the problem, she has asked the school to allow Maisie to be allowed to work alone for a few hours a day. However, this request was denied by the school.

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While other options have been suggested to help Maisie, such as home schooling, changing schools or attending a specialist unit, none of the alternatives have been well received.

Natasha is currently on Universal Credit and has ultimately been forced to pay £163, which includes the fine to the school and associated court costs.

Because of her financial situation, the money will be paid in £20 instalments.

She pled guilty at City of London Magistrates Court on 21 September.

The sentencing judge, Magistrate Jan Carr, said: "Good luck getting your child to school is all I can say."

Tyla has reached out to Pimlico Academy for comment.