Penalty notices for school absences

We can use penalty notices to enforce attendance at school under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, or Section 36 of the Children’s Act 1989.

Penalty notices are fines of £60 or £120 imposed on parents and carers. We can use them:

• as an alternative to prosecuting you if you don’t make sure your child of compulsory school attends school
• if your child’s absence has not been authorised by the headteacher
• if you allow your child to be in a public place during the first five days of a fixed, or permanent, exclusion.

We will issue penalty notices to each parent responsible for their child’s attendance.

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