PARENTS who let their children play truant from Swindon schools this term face being fined.

When pupils return to lessons later this week, head teachers will have the power to issue £50 fines to parents if they allow their children to skip school.

Parents will receive a formal warning if their child has been off for more than 10 days.

If the pupil fails to return to classes within the next four weeks, they could be landed with a £50 fixed penalty fine.

The fine has to be paid within 28 days, otherwise it rises to £100. Unpaid fines could result in parents being taken to court.

The problem of truancy in Swindon has eased in recent years. The number of pupils skiving off school has fallen by nearly 40 per in the last five years in contrast to the rest of the country, where figures rose by 16 per cent.

Coun Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms), Swindon Council's lead member for education, hopes the threat of an one-the-spot fine will be a wake-up call to parents of absentee children.

He also believe it will stop parents booking holidays during term-time, when prices are cheaper.

"I hope these new powers will make parents more aware of their responsibilities for ensuring their children attend school," he said.

"We will not be coming in with a hard approach, but want to work with parents to stop truanting.

"At the end of the day, children only get one chance at their education. We don't want to ruin relations between schools and parents.

"But the problem of parents booking holidays is worst between Easter and the start of the summer holidays.

"I think the Government should do something about holiday firms charging more during school holidays."

The new powers have been introduced by the Government under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

It is hoped that one result of the change to a six-term school year will be to reduce the problem of parents taking term-time holidays.

The changes come into effect this autumn.

Tamash Lal