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Letter to parents and carers regarding school attendance
and changes to Penalty Notices for unauthorised absences
Dear parent/carer,
Regular school attendance is an essential part of a child’s education. The link
between good attendance and good attainment is well established.
Children who attend school regularly are more likely to maintain friendships and
enjoy the wider activities of the school community.
Parents and carers are required by law to ensure that their children of compulsory
school age attend school regularly.
Schools are required to manage the attendance of pupils and take appropriate action
in relation to absences.
If a child is absent form school, the parent/carer must provide a reason as soon as
possible. The school will decide whether the absence will be authorised, or not.
Parents and carers must request any leave of absence in advance. A school can
only authorised such an absence if there are exceptional circumstances relating to
the request. If a leave of absence is agreed, the school will decide the number of
days that will be authorised.
National Threshold for issuing Penalty Notices
On the 19th August 2024, The Department for Education introduced a national
threshold for all schools and local authorities to adhere to when considering, and
issuing, penalty notices in relation to irregular school attendance.
When a child does not attend school regularly and all (or the majority) of the
absences are unauthorised, legal action can be instituted against the parents or
carers. This can be in the form of a penalty notice or summons to court.
Penalty notices can be issued if there have been 10 or more unauthorised absence
sessions in the preceding 10 school weeks.
A first penalty notice issued to a parent/carer within a 3 year rolling period is £80 if
paid within 21 days rising to £160 if paid between days 22 to 28.
If a second Penalty Notice is issued to the same parent/carer, regarding the same
child, within the same 3 year rolling period it will be £160 with 28 days in which to
pay.
Failure to pay a penalty notice will result in the parents or carers being prosecuted in
court.
If there is a third requirement to take legal action for irregular school attendance in
relation to the same parent/carer, for the same child, within the same 3 year rolling
period then it is likely that the parent/carer will be summoned to court.

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There is no right of appeal to a penalty notice issued for irregular school attendance.
If a parent/carer is concerned about why they have received a penalty notice then
they must raise their concern with their child’s school.
Parents can also be directly summoned to attend court. If a parent pleads, or is
found to be, guilty of the offence of failing to ensure regular school attendance, the
court has a range of sanctions depending on the circumstances.
Parents may receive a:
• fine of up to £2,500 and/or a prison sentence of up to three months
• curfew with electronic tag fitted
• Community Order
• conditional discharge
• bill for court costs
The court may also impose a Parenting Order. These orders usually last for six
months. The parents are required to attend parenting classes. Failure to adhere to a
parenting order will result in further legal proceedings.
Further information
Please search the internet for:
The Department for Education – ‘Working together to improve school attendance.
Statutory guidance for maintained schools, academies, independent schools and
local authorities’.