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U.K. parents face punishments if their children are continually late for school. Britain's Education Secretary announced he would crack down on "problem parents". He said too many families fail to "face up to their responsibilities" by getting their children to school on time, and are "ready to learn and show respect for their teacher". Parents already get a $100 fine if their child is repeatedly late. However, 20,000 of these penalties were unpaid last year, so a tougher penalty system will start. There will also be fines if parents take their children on family vacations during school time.

The plans are all part of raising standards in education, creating incentives for parents to get children to school, and tackling "habitual truancy". The U.K. government said opposition politicians promoted policies that set pupils up to fail and contained "a diet of dumbed-down courses". It said they did not want children to show "grit". It also said opposition policies meant not thinking that children might be intellectually curious or "capable of greatness". Furthermore, the government said such policies created very low expectations for students with ambition and potential.