Mum-of-three taken to court because 16-year-old daughter is truant more than HALF the time – and she blames the school
Emma Wallace will appear before magistrates for failing to ensure her daughter Shannon attends school regularly
A MUM-OF-THREE hauled before the courts because her 16-year-old skives school more than half the time says she doesn't know what else to do because she "can't physically drag her there".
Emma Wallace will appear before Peterlee Magistrates’ Court later today for failing to ensure her daughter Shannon attends school regularly.
She says her daughter has been left frustrated and feels abandoned by North Durham Academy after she requested help and support from the school over the last year.
The 43-year-old said: “I hold my hands up, she hasn’t been going to school, but I don’t know what I am supposed to do.
“Short of physically grabbing her and dragging her down there myself there is nothing that I can do.
“I have asked the school to help me with her but they’ve not done anything. I don’t know to do.”
Emma says her daughter Shannon started to skip school just over a year ago after some issues with bullying at the Academy.
Over the last 12 months, Shannon’s attendance has fallen below 50% and Emma admits she is worried about how much the year 11 pupil has been missing out on.
“All she wants to do is get a job, but it isn’t as simple as that anymore, they’ve got to stay in education until they are 18.
“She’s a good worker, she’s been working on the stalls with me since she was little, she knows how to work hard.”
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Both of Emma’s older children attended North Durham Academy when it was South Stanley Comprehensive School and she said she got more support from school staff then.
After receiving her court summons, Emma spoke to the school and said she was advised she should consider home schooling her daughter.
“I feel like I have been passed from pillar to post. Home schooling isn’t an option, I feel like that’s just the school trying to wriggle out of it,” Emma said.
She added: “Shannon is no angel, don’t get me wrong, but this all started with the bullying.”
Magistrates have the power to fine parents up to £2,500 and can jail parents who have failed to get their children to attend school for up to 3 months.
Emma said: “I am worried, the judge might try and make an example of me.
“I don’t think I should be having to go to court when I have asked for help and guidance and had no support. If parents do have to go to court the children should be made to go too, it might just scare them and do the trick to get them back to school.”
Last year the school was told by Ofsted inspectors it needed to work to ensure attendance levels continue to rise after its second poor inspection rating in four years.
North Durham Academy opened in 2011 and moved to a £30m campus in Stanley in 2013.
A school spokesman said: “Due to imminent legal proceedings relating to a student attendance case that is currently taking place North Durham Academy are unable to comment at this time.”