Change to the National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence

National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence:
Statutory changes effective from August 19th 2024

The National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence will change from 19th August 2024, per the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education.  The email sent to all parents is included below.   Our Attendance Policy and website will be updated in due course to include this updated information.  In the meantime, please refer to the guidance below as the correct information regarding penalty notices from the beginning of the 2024/5 academic year.

Dear Parent/Carer

I hope you are all having a restful summer break. 

We are required to inform you about some national statutory changes issued by the Department for Education which come into force on 19th August 2024.   These changes govern how schools and local authorities issue penalty notices for unauthorised school absences to ensure consistency across the country.

Penalty notices are issued for unauthorised term-time absences of 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) or more within a rolling 10 school week period.  In practice, this means term-time holidays.  Penalty notices are also considered in other cases of unauthorised absence when this threshold is met, although we would be already working with you on relevant support measures if this was to occur.

We will be updating our Attendance Policy and website to reflect these changes in due course but in the meantime we wanted to summarise the main changes here:

Summary of changes applicable to absences from 4th September 2024 onwards

1. Threshold of 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period met for first time
An increase in the amount of the penalty notice payable from £120 to £160 per child per parent* if paid within 28 days.  If paid within 21 days, a reduced rate of £80 per child per parent* is payable.  

2. Threshold met for second time (within 3 years)
The penalty notice will be charged at the higher rate of £160 per child per parent* (reduced rate not available).
 
3. Threshold met for third time or more (within 3 years)
Rather than a penalty notice being issued, the case will be referred to the Legal Intervention Team at Hampshire County Council to consider alternative legal intervention, including prosecution.    

*in this guidance "parent" includes all parents involved in failing to secure the pupil’s attendance e.g. who they were living with on the dates of the offences, or which parents went on the unauthorised holiday. The meaning of parent in relation to a child includes any person who is not a parent but who has parental responsibility for the child or who has care of the child, as set out in section 576 of the Education Act 1996.

If you do have any questions about this national guidance, please contact rachel.buxton@court-moor.hants.sch.uk.

Kind regards
R Bolton
Assistant Headteacher & Attendance Lead