Term time leave of absence request
Helping Parents understand Penalty Notice Fines for School Attendance
From 19 August 2024, there is a National Framework for Penalty Notice Fines being issued for unauthorised absences recorded by schools
National Threshold |
A single consistent national threshold for when a Penalty Notice must be considered by ALL schools in England, this is: - 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period
- These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence
- For example, a 5-day unauthorised leave of absence would meet the national threshold
- The 10-school week period can span different terms or school years
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Who may be fined? |
- Penalty Notice Fines are issued to each parent who allows their child to be absent without authorisation from school
- For example, 3 siblings absent for unauthorised leave during term-time would result in each parent receiving 3 separate fines
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First Offence |
The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence, the fine amount will be: - £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days
- If not paid within 21 days, the fine will increase to £160 per parent, per child, payable between the 22nd and 28th day
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Second Offence (within 3 years) |
The second time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence, a reduced rate is not available. The amount therefore will be: - £160 per parent, per child – payable within 28 days
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Third Offence and Any Further Offences (within 3 years) |
The third time an offence is committed, a Penalty Notice WILL NOT be issued, and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrate’s Court - Prosecution can result in criminal records and fines of up to £2,500
- Cases found guilty in a Magistrates Court can show on the parent’s future DBS certificate (Disclosure and Barring Service) due to a ‘failure to safeguard a child’s education’
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