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Tuesday 7th May 2024
Advice regarding unauthorised leave from school
Dear Parents/Carers,
I am writing to inform you that from the 19 August 2024, new regulations come into force regarding unauthorised leave of absence from school. The changes have come after almost 400,000 penalty notices were issued to parents in England in 2022-23 for unauthorised school absences - which is much higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The Dfe are trying to improve consistency across England by introducing a new National Threshold at which a penalty notice would be considered. The Dfe aim is to improve the deterrent of penalty notices by increasing the amount. A fine must be considered if a child misses five days of school for unauthorised absence.
The following information comes from the Dfe advice and the local authority:
For unauthorised absence from August 2024, Penalty Notices will increase to £160 per parent per child (discounted to £80 if paid within 21 days). If there is occasion to issue a second Penalty Notice for unauthorised leave of absence within a rolling 3 year period, it will be issued at the higher rate of £160 per parent per child, with no opportunity to pay at the lower level. A Penalty Notice cannot be issued if there is a third occasion of unauthorised leave of absence in the rolling 3 year period and it is highly likely that the local authority will take direct prosecution action in the Magistrates’ Court which can result in you receiving a criminal conviction. Please also be aware that any cases of extended periods of unauthorised absence, linked to holidays or trips away, are highly likely to result in prosecution action by the local authority.
If your child has unauthorised leave of absence prior to the end of the summer term in 2024 and a penalty notice is deemed necessary, there will be a Penalty Notice of £120 per parent per child (discounted to £60 if paid within 21 days), or, your case will be referred by the Local Authority directly to the Magistrates’ Court.
Schools consider on a case by case basis whether to issue a penalty notice. Our priority at Oaklands School is always to work with parents/carers and support families to improve attendance. Every moment in school counts and we know that days missed add up quickly. Evidence shows that pupils who have good attendance enjoy better wellbeing and school performance than those who don't.
There are only a few circumstances where a child is allowed to miss school, such as illness, hospital appointments, or where the school has given permission because of an exceptional circumstance. An exceptional circumstance does not include taking holidays in term time due to a child’s needs; family holidays must always be taken in the school holidays. If you are unsure about whether an absence will be authorised, please do call the office and ask to speak with me or our attendance officer, Sally Bott.
Further information about the changes to penalty notices can be found here: Fines for parents for taking children out of school: What you need to know – The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)
Regards
Sarah Osborne (Headteacher)