Penalty notices for unauthorised absence

We issue penalty notices to parents if their child has missed school without permission. The school generally requests this.

• When we might issue a penalty notice
• Cost of a penalty notice
• How to pay
• Code of conduct

When we might issue a penalty notice

• The pupil must have at least 15 half days of unauthorised absence in the current and / or previous term.
• The school must have sent you a formal warning.
• The school, academy, police or attendance improvement officer considers that issuing a penalty notice could stop any more absences.
• Issuing a penalty notice does not conflict with any legal action being taken.

Cost of a penalty notice

If you don't pay the penalty notice in the given time, we will prosecute you (if we haven't withdrawn the notice).

If you get a notice about more than 1 child

Penalty notices apply to each child individually. If you get a penalty notice for more than 1 child, you have to pay each penalty.

If both parents get a notice about the same child

If the offence is about 1 child and both parents are sent penalty notices, each parent needs to pay the penalty. For example, 2 lots of £60 if paid within 21 days.

How to pay

Code of conduct

All penalty notices must follow our code of conduct. We make sure that every case is treated consistently and fairly.

You can't appeal once a penalty notice has been issued. We might withdraw a notice if it's been issued by mistake.