School absence fine?

[indianabones2021]

So just had a letter from the school saying 2 weeks absence will not be approved and if we decide to go ahead we'll be referred to the Local Education Authority, Birmingham, where we may be issued a Penalty Notice or have legal action taken.

We have 2 kids (9 and 7) - would be first absence of this type for both.

Questions:

• I am pretty sure we'll be fined, but what would it be? £80 per parent - per child for the whole absence period (2 weeks) or per day?
• What is this legal action they mention?
• What are the chances of this "legal action"?

Thank you.

Yes £80 per child per parent.

Here are the new rules, so it will be 80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days or 160 per parent per child if paid between 21-28 days

This explains it clearly.

for 2 weeks off

count on that fine!

although given n its a fortnight, i suspect they’ll take
legal action

Don't know what happens when there's a resident and non resident parent.

Don't the new rules mean that week 2 would be a second absence?

Ie you would be fined for a first instance and a second instance ?

Yes I'm fully aware. Many families in our kid's school have in previous years got 2 weeks and no issues. But this year with the new headteacher and new rules they've got strict mode.

So first week would be the first instance at £160 per child reduced to £80 per child for early payment

And then £320 for each child for the second instance according to that graphic

£80 + £80 +£320 + £320 = £800 ....

Seems a bit nuts though!!

To me it looks like they will consider prosecution as 10 sessions in a 10 week period but I don’t know what that will look like in practice. I think you’d only get the first fine as only one absence event?

We took our 3 children out of school for two weeks unauthorised. At the time the fine was £60 rather than £80.

We calculated worst case scenario was 3 children X 2 weeks X £60 X 2 parents = £720.

The same trip in school holidays was £2000-3000 more expensive! So it was a no brainer.

When the fine came through they actually only fined us for one parent and it was £360.

Incredibly, even with these fines it's still cheaper.

But this is what I want to know before I know before I make the final decision.

Seems like it's £320 for week 1 if we pay on time.

But then another £640 for week 2.

So £960 in fines potentially? Still cheaper than what I'd have to pay if we went during holiday time.

Tell a porkie, kids have got chickenpox, measles, whatever and are sick at home

I'm guessing £360 because £60 x 3 (kids) x 2 (parents)?

Which education authority if you don't mind me asking?

Based on this if we're lucky it would be £80 x 2 (kids) x 2 (parents), so £320.

I said if we're lucky because those screenshots other members have posted above indicated week 1 and week 2 are treated differently.

What’s so important about this holiday that you are long to risk a referral to a local authority agency?

Well it’s cost I guess…..even with the fines…..still likely to be way cheaper

Right, because school's never notice when a child who's had chicken pox comes back with a tan and lots of tales of their holiday...

I would guess if it was to visit an elderly or ill relative the OP would have mentioned this.

I didn't really want to discuss this - hence I left it out in the original post but our kids haven't seen their grandmother in years. They need to see her and so do we. The last time we held out thinking we had time and their grandfather passed away and that opportunity was lost forever. There's absolutely no point in my opinion of kids spending time with their grandparents whilst they're on their deathbed, meet them whilst they're still up and about.

We did it last year we got one fine per parent £60 for the two week period not per week

About time then. It’s so disruptive to a child’s learning.

Elderly yes - ill no. But this thread is about the penalties for unauthorized absences.

Just be honest op. Accept the fine and enjoy your trip.

So you want to visit family but want to do so in term time as it’s cheaper or time is of the essence and it has to be ASAP?

No the school hasn't got stricter, new HT or not.

From August 2024, The Department For Education have increased the accountability and responsibility of parents as so many children are absent.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf