Reporting Pupil Absence

If your child is unwell and therefore unable to attend school, please call the school office between 8:15am - 8:40am to report the reason for their absence. (01785 337360)

Requesting Leave During Term Time

Changes to issuing penalty notices for leave in term time from 19 August 2024

DFE 'Working Together to Improve School Attendance', became a statutory document in August 2024.  This document outlines the importance of regular attendance in school. Changes to the law through the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 came into effect from this date.

This means that any unauthorised leave taken during term time will be dealt with under the new Regulations.

Two penalty notice limit in a three-year period

The three-year rolling period starts for parents when the first penalty notice is issued to them after the 19th August 2024.

The first Penalty Notices for leave in term time will increase to £160 per parent per child but can be reduced to £80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days.

If a second penalty notice is issued within three years of the first penalty notice, then this will be at a fixed rate of £160 per parent per child, with no reduction for early payment.

A third penalty notice cannot be issued within the three-year period; therefore, the county council will deal with any further unauthorised leave through prosecution in the Magistrates Court. If the parent is found guilty, the potential fine is up to £1000 per parent.

National threshold for issuing penalty notices.

The new national threshold for issuing penalty notices has been set at 10 sessions (5 school days) of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks.

However, if in an individual case, the local authority believes a penalty notice would be appropriate, they retain the discretion to issue one before the threshold is met.

For example - where parents are deliberately avoiding the national threshold by taking several term time holidays below threshold, or for repeated absence for birthdays or other family events.

The local authority will continue to ask schools to notify them of all unauthorised leave in term time that meets the threshold of 5 school days, and any below this threshold that is considered  appropriate.

Please be aware that headteachers can only permit leave that is deemed as exceptional - this does not include holidays.