You may receive a penalty notice (PN) if:
- Your child was absent from School for 10 or more sessions (5 or more days) due to an unauthorised holiday;OR
- Your child has accrued 10 or more sessions of unauthorised absence in any 6 month period.
A PN may be issued per parent/carer and per child and you are given two payment options, these are:
- Pay £60 within 21 days of receipt of the PN
- Pay £120 between 22-28 days of receipt of the PN
If you do not pay the PN, we may start prosecution proceedings, unless the PN was issued in error in which case it will be withdrawn.
Only one PN will be issued per parent/carer per child within a two year period. This means that if you paid a PN and then committed a further offence contrary to s444(1) Education Act 1996 within the next two years, you are likely to be summonsed to Court for the most recent offence. If convicted, you could receive a fine of up to £1000.
If you are convicted of an offence under s444(1) Education Act 1996, and you commit a further offence within the next 5 years, you will be summonsed for the more serious offence contrary to s444(1A) Education Act 1996. If convicted, you could receive a fine of up to £2500 or up to 3 months imprisonment.