From August 2024, the fine for parents whose child has unauthorised absences has changed in line with new government legislation.
In a bid to discourage repeat absences and families taking holidays during term time, the fine for school absences across the country has been increased.
If a child misses 10 sessions during a 10-week period and those absences are unauthorised, a fine of £80 may be initially given. If not paid within 21 days, the fine will increase to £160 for a first offence.
If a second offence happens within 3 years, the fine will rise to £160. Families with children who have persistently poor attendance could be fined up to £2,500 per child and may be expected to attend court.
To help understand how this may affect the parents and children in our area, a guide to what this means can be found below.
What is classed as a session?
The school day is split into two sessions – one session counts as a morning or afternoon spent in school. Children will receive a mark of attendance for each session. The 10 sessions stipulated equates to 5 full days.
What if my child needs to miss school?
Your child must attend every day that the school is open, unless:
- If their illness is serious enough to miss school, evidence of a GP appointment would evidence this.
- You have asked in advance and been given permission by the school for your child to be absent on that day due to exceptional circumstances.
- Your child cannot attend school on that day because it is a day you are taking part in religious observance.
- Your local authority is responsible for arranging your child’s transport to school and it is not available on that day or has not been provided yet.
- You are a gypsy/Roma/traveller family with no fixed abode, and you are required to travel for work that day meaning your child cannot attend their usual school.
Absences will be recorded on a rolling 10 week basis
The 10-week period is always live. Any block of 10 school weeks, starting at any point, can count towards the absence period. This also spans across the start and end of terms and school years If you have received a fine relating to a child in your care this will remain on the child’s record for 3 years.
How much are the fines?
The first time a penalty notice is issued for term time leave or low attendance will be £80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days or £160 per parent per child when paid within 28 days.
Fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action like a parenting order or prosecution will be considered.
In the case of repeated fines, if a parent receives a second fine for the same child within any three-year period, this will be charged at the higher rate of £160.
If you’re prosecuted and attend court because your child hasn’t been attending school, you could get a fine of up to £2,500. Cases found guilty in Magistrates Court can show up on parents and step-parents future DBS certificates as a failure to safeguard a child’s education.
Good to know
The school is responsible for monitoring and reporting attendance records. North East Lincolnshire council will issue the fines as per recommendation from the school.
Money raised via fines is only used by the local authority to cover the costs of administering the system, and to fund attendance support. Any extra money is returned to the government.
Schools have a duty to build relationships and work jointly with families, listening to and understanding barriers to attendance and working in partnership with families to remove them
Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for Children and Education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “Children learn, grow and develop best when they are able to take advantage of what schools have to offer, and therefore it’s imperative that children go to school and stay in school.
“The Government’s new measures place the responsibility firmly at the feet of parents, and we’re keen to get the message across so people are aware of the rules.”
Article and image from NELC.
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