School Attendance
Penalty Notice Warnings (Irregular Attendance)
Advanced notice of important changes to Fixed Penalty Notice fines with effect from 19 August 2024
With effect from the 19 August 2024, the law changes and Penalty Notices will increase. Penalty charges will be £160 if paid within 28 days reducing to £80 if paid within 21 days per parent/carer per child.
The National Framework for Penalty Notices introduces a new national limit of two penalty notices that can now be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling three year period. If a second Fixed Penalty Notice is issued to the same parent for the same child, within three years of the first Fixed Penalty Notice, the second Fixed Penalty Notice is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
Once two Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued, if a third unauthorised leave of absence occurs within a three year period, the Local Authority is able to move to prosecution immediately.
The Education (Penalty Notices) Regulations 2007 (as amended) provide that Fixed penalty notice’s (FPN) can be issued to each parent/carer of each child taken out of school without the authorisation of the school. Parent/carers should also be aware that if more than one child is taken out of school a FPN can be issued to each parent/carer of each child.
Parents and pupils are expected to work with school staff to improve and maintain regular school attendance, the school will offer advice and support around issues such as bullying etc. The school will do their best to help you and your child to improve their attendance prior to taking any formal action. If there is continued unauthorised absence, the school can request a Notice to Improve and a warning of a possible penalty notice from the local authority.
Before penalty notices for irregular attendance are issued, you will receive a written Notice to Improve which will explain the extent of your child’s non-attendance and the possibility of you receiving a penalty notice if their attendance does not improve in 20 days. During this period, your child must not have any further unauthorised absences from school.
Please note: There is no limit to the number of times a Notice to Improve may be issued in any particular case.
