First notice
£80if paid within 21 days
Rises to £160 if paid within 28 days.Every day creates opportunity
Being here makes a difference.
1 school day = 2 sessionsone morning session + one afternoon session
Good attendance helps young people build routines, friendships, confidence and the knowledge they need for their next step. If something is making attendance difficult, please speak to us early — we are here to help.
Attendance is a shared responsibility — and support comes first.
Ready to learn
Let us know promptly
Report your child’s absence
Please use our attendance form to tell us why your child will not be attending. Let us know as early as possible.
Lost learning adds up
A day away is more than just a day.
Attendance is recorded in sessions: one morning and one afternoon session each day. Missed sessions can affect confidence, friendships and progress. The learning figures use a typical five-hour teaching day.
1 day2 sessions
5 hoursabout 5 lessons
5 days10 sessions
25 hoursabout 25 lessons
10 days20 sessions
50 hoursabout 50 lessons
20 days40 sessions
100 hoursabout 100 lessons
One day has two attendance sessions. Learning figures are illustrative because timetables vary.
Trusted health advice
Is my child too ill for school?
It can be difficult to decide. The NHS guide explains when children can usually attend and when they should stay at home, with advice for common illnesses including high temperature, sickness, chickenpox and coughs or colds.
England’s national framework
How school attendance fines work
Fines relate to unauthorised absence. Schools and local authorities should take a support-first approach where a family is experiencing barriers to attendance.
10
unauthorised sessionsusually equal to 5 school days
10
school weeksa rolling period; sessions do not need to be consecutive
A penalty notice must be considered
Second notice
£160for the same child within 3 years
Payable within 28 days.Further action
No third finewithin the same 3-year period
Other action may be considered, including prosecution.Fines are issued per parent, per child. A one-week unauthorised term-time holiday can meet the national threshold. If prosecuted, a court fine can be up to £2,500. Individual circumstances and local authority decisions apply.
Talk to us early
Worried about attendance?
If anxiety, health, transport, friendships or another difficulty is affecting attendance, contact the school. Working together early gives us the best chance of finding the right support.