Fines for parents who take their children out of school will increase this upcoming term as the government continues with plans to improve attendance.
From next week, fines for unauthorised absences will go up by as much as £40.
Under the new system, the cost of a penalty charge notice will rise from £60 to £80 if paid within 21 days, and from £120 to £160 if paid within 28 days.
This marks the first increases since the system was introduced in 2013.
So, when do parents get fined?
Children are only allowed to miss school if they are unwell, or they have been given permission from the school in advance.
Parents can make an absence request to take their children out of school, but there needs to be “exceptional circumstances” and the headteacher needs to authorise it.
Currently, it’s the responsibility of the local authority to decide when to issue fines, meaning the process varies from council to council.
But, under the new rules which were created by the Conservative government, all schools will be required to consider a fine when a child has missed at least five days of school for unauthorised reasons.
What happens if you keep getting fined?
If a parent receives a second fine for the same child within any three-year period, this will be charged at the higher rate of £160.
A parent can only receive two fines within any three-year period, and once this has been met, other actions can be considered.
This includes a parenting order or prosecution.
Parents who are prosecuted and attend court because their child hasn’t been attending school, can be fined up to £2,500.
Where is the money spent?
Government guidance states any money collected from fines should be used by the local authority to cover the costs of administering the system.
Any surplus after that should be spent on “attendance support”.
Any cash remaining at the end of the year must be paid to the education secretary.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “High and rising school standards are at the heart of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. Strong foundations of learning are grounded in attendance in the classroom.
“Tackling the root causes of absence is a major priority for the government.
“Our support-first approach outlined in our guidance is designed to help parents to meet their responsibility to ensure their child attends school.
“However, in some cases, including term-time holidays, it may be necessary to issue penalty notices.”
