The new guidance “Working Together to Improve School Attendance” emphasizes the principle of “Support First” and recognizes that “barriers to accessing education are extensive and complex, both within and beyond school gates, and are often specific to individual pupils and families… [It is very] important that pupils gain the maximum benefit from their school experience, including their academic performance, well-being, and broader life opportunities.”
If you are concerned about your child’s attendance or punctuality, please contact your child’s personal tutor or year coordinator as soon as possible so that barriers to attendance can be understood and appropriate support can be provided to assist you, your family, and your child in preventing further absences.
Medical Evidence
In most cases, a parent’s notification that their child is too ill to attend school will be clear and can be accepted without question or concern. Only in cases where the academy has genuine and reasonable doubts about the authenticity of the illness will medical evidence be requested to confirm the absence. When attendance is a concern, evidence may also be requested to authorize an absence. Please cooperate with our staff when they request any evidence.
Formalization and Strengthening of Support
If voluntary support is ineffective and/or has not been engaged, we will work with partners, including local authorities, to formalize and strengthen support.
As part of the measures introduced, if a student accumulates 10 absence sessions within a 10-week period, the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student may receive an “Improvement Notice”, sent via email or letter. Each day of absence is recorded as two sessions (morning and afternoon).
Unauthorized Absence Includes:
- Unauthorized absence (where there are no reasonable circumstances for the absence, code O)
- Lateness after registration closes (code U)
- A combination of these or unauthorized holidays taken during term time (unauthorized holiday – code G)
These 10 weeks may span different terms and even different educational settings, such as transitions, school changes during the year, and alternative provisions. For example, if your child misses 3 school days due to a holiday in September (6 sessions) and is late after registration closes 4 times (4 sessions) between September and October, you may receive an “Improvement Notice.”
The “Improvement Notice” will outline expectations for improving attendance, such as “no further unauthorized absences.” If these expectations are not met during the improvement period, the school may request a Penalty Notice, issued by the Local Authority to each parent/guardian responsible for the child. Any absence related to holidays totaling 10 sessions within 10 weeks may result in a Penalty Notice. In such cases, no “Improvement Notice” will be issued beforehand.
Penalty Notice Amounts Increased in August 2024
A maximum of two Penalty Notices can be issued within a three-year period:
- First Offense – Upon the first issuance of a Penalty Notice, the amount will be £80 per parent, per child, payable within 21 days. It increases to £160 per parent, per child, if paid after 21 days, up to 28 days. Any unpaid fine may be referred to the Magistrates’ Court.
- Second Offense (within 3 years) – Upon the second issuance of a Penalty Notice, the amount will be £160 per parent, per child, payable within 28 days. Any unpaid fine may be referred to the Magistrates’ Court.
- Third and Further Offenses (within 3 years) – Upon committing a third offense, no Penalty Notice will be issued, and the case may be referred directly to the Magistrates’ Court under Section 444 of the Education Act (1996) or other applicable legal measures. The Magistrates’ Court may impose fines of up to £2,500 per parent, per child.
Parents with parental responsibility and adults living with the child, including step-parents who have day-to-day care, may be fined. This applies to each absent child. For example, if two adults take two children out of school, the total fine would be £640 (reduced to £320 for the first offense paid within 21 days).
If a Penalty Notice is not paid within the deadline stated in the parent’s letter, the Local Authority may proceed with court action.
We acknowledge that these Penalty Notices may be unpopular among families, but it is essential to inform you of these changes promptly.
National School Leaders’ Role:
- Headteachers do not have the authority to approve term-time holidays, except in truly exceptional circumstances, and must review each leave request individually before making a decision. The law explicitly requires headteachers to enforce these penalties strictly.
- The new policy also states that all schools must consider issuing Penalty Notices if the criteria are met. This is a nationwide statutory process and will be followed by all state-funded schools in England.
The primary aim of these measures is to ensure that children do not miss out on their education.
Every lesson is a crucial part of your child’s learning journey, and frequent absences can significantly hinder their progress.
Thank you for your ongoing cooperation in supporting your child’s education.
