The Aporia
The Aporia
Busby, E. (2026, October 19). ‘Cruel and unnecessary’ school absence fines should end, Motherland star says. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/anna-maxwell-martin-motherland-downing-street-school-england-b1301529.html
Busby, Eleanor. “‘Cruel and unnecessary’ school absence fines should end, Motherland star says.” Evening Standard, 19 Oct. 2026, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/anna-maxwell-martin-motherland-downing-street-school-england-b1301529.html.
Busby, Eleanor. “‘Cruel and unnecessary’ school absence fines should end, Motherland star says.” Evening Standard, October 19, 2026. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/anna-maxwell-martin-motherland-downing-street-school-england-b1301529.html.
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Actor Maxwell Martin has called for an end to fines and prosecutions for families with vulnerable children who face school attendance difficulties. He stated that fining and prosecuting these families is "cruel and unnecessary" and ineffective in improving attendance rates. Under current policies, parents may be taken to court if their child misses school three or more times within the same period, facing a fine of up to £2,500, a community order, or even jail time. The former Conservative government introduced these stricter fines in 2024 as part of efforts to boost school attendance post-pandemic.
Parents Susan Liverman and Maddie Roberts from Northamptonshire founded the No School Fines campaign on Change.org after experiencing threats of fines and prosecution while their children waited for special educational needs support. They argue that addressing children’s needs at the point of need is more effective than punitive measures.
