When a child misses school sessions without authorisation, the local authority can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice — a civil fine per parent per child. Rules in England were updated in August 2024, raising the trigger to ten sessions and increasing fine amounts. This guide explains how the system works and how to avoid penalties.
What is a Fixed Penalty Notice for school absence?
A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) is a civil fine issued to parents or carers when their child accumulates a specified number of unauthorised absences from school. FPNs are issued by the local authority (LA), not the school itself — the school reports unauthorised absences to the LA, which then decides whether to issue a notice.
Key points about how FPNs work:
- FPNs are issued per parent, per child. Two parents of two children could receive four separate FPNs for the same absence.
- Paying an FPN does not create a criminal record.
- Refusing to pay an FPN may result in the local authority pursuing prosecution in the magistrates' court under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, which can result in a fine of up to £2,500 or, in the most serious cases, a custodial sentence.
- FPNs can only be issued for unauthorised absence — the school must have declined to authorise the absence for a fine to follow.
What are the current rules for FPNs (from August 2024)?
The DfE updated the national framework for attendance and FPNs with effect from 19 August 2024. The current rules are:
| Situation | Threshold | First FPN | Second FPN in 3 years | Third offence in 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised absence | 10 sessions (5 school days) in a rolling 10-week period | £160 per parent (reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days) | £160 per parent (no discount) | No FPN — referral to prosecution |
Before August 2024, the trigger was five sessions (2.5 days) and the fine amounts were lower. The 2024 changes also introduced a national threshold for the first time — previously, different local authorities applied different thresholds.
What counts as an unauthorised absence?
A school session is one half of the school day (morning or afternoon). Ten sessions equals five full school days.
Absence is unauthorised when the headteacher decides not to grant permission for it, or when parents do not provide a satisfactory explanation. Common examples of absences that are typically not authorised:
- Term-time holidays: Since 2013, headteachers in England have had no statutory duty to grant leave for family holidays during term time. Most do not, except in genuinely exceptional circumstances. The "exceptional circumstances" threshold is high — a long-planned, once-in-a-lifetime trip may meet it; a standard family holiday rarely does.
- Shopping trips or appointments that could be scheduled outside school hours
- Extended absence without communication from parents
Absences that are typically authorised include:
- Illness, supported by reasonable evidence if the absence is prolonged
- Medical or dental appointments that cannot be arranged outside school hours
- Religious observance
- A bereavement in the immediate family
- A specific occasion the headteacher judges to be exceptional
How does the process work?
- Child misses school sessions — the school marks them as unauthorised in the register.
- School informs the local authority — when a pupil's unauthorised absence crosses the trigger threshold (10 sessions in 10 weeks), the school notifies the LA.
- Local authority issues the FPN — the LA sends the notice to both parents at their registered addresses.
- Parents pay within 21 days (£80 at the reduced rate) or within 28 days (£160 at the full rate). After 28 days, the FPN is withdrawn and the LA may pursue prosecution instead.
- Prosecution — in the most serious or repeated cases, the LA can prosecute parents under the Education Act 1996. Magistrates can impose fines up to £2,500.
Can parents appeal a Fixed Penalty Notice?
There is no formal right of appeal against an FPN. However, parents can write to the local authority to contest it if they believe it was wrongly issued — for example, if the absence was in fact authorised by the school, if there was an administrative error in recording attendance, or if the absence threshold was not actually met. Evidence such as GP letters, hospital appointment cards, or school communication should accompany any challenge.
How should parents handle term-time absence requests?
The practical steps are:
- Apply in writing to the headteacher, not the class teacher, at the earliest possible opportunity — ideally at least four weeks before the planned absence.
- Explain the exceptional circumstances honestly. A vague "family event" is unlikely to be approved. A documented reason — a family member's wedding abroad, a significant cultural event, a medical procedure for a relative — gives the headteacher more to work with.
- Accept that most requests are declined. Term-time holidays are not covered by the "exceptional circumstances" provision in most local authorities. Parents who decide to take the absence anyway should plan for the possibility of an FPN.
- Minimise the sessions missed. An absence that crosses from 8 sessions to 11 by one day of extension makes the difference between a warning and an FPN. Even if some absence is unavoidable, minimising its length reduces the risk.
Frequently asked questions
Can a fine be issued for a two-day absence?
Not under the 2024 national framework, which sets the trigger at 10 sessions (5 days). An absence of 2 days generates 4 sessions — below the threshold. However, if a child has prior unauthorised absences in the same rolling 10-week window, even a short additional absence can push the total past the trigger. The 10-session count is cumulative across the rolling period, not per individual absence.
What if my child is ill? Can the school still issue an FPN?
FPNs can only be issued for unauthorised absence. If a child is genuinely ill and the parent notifies the school, the absence is typically authorised. Illness does not trigger an FPN. However, if a school suspects that illness explanations are being used to cover non-illness absences, it may decline to authorise some sessions and request medical evidence. For extended illness, a GP letter is standard practice.
Do FPNs affect the child or the parent?
The FPN is issued to the parent (or carer with parental responsibility), not the child. It does not appear on the child's school record or affect their academic profile. It is a civil penalty — not a criminal matter — if paid within the specified period. It affects the parent's record only if it escalates to prosecution.
Is persistent absence treated differently from individual absences?
Yes. Pupils missing more than ten per cent of school sessions (roughly nineteen days across a school year) are classified as "persistently absent" by the DfE. Schools are required to identify and support persistently absent pupils. FPNs are one enforcement tool, but persistent absence is also addressed through early help, attendance support teams, and engagement with families on the underlying causes of absence. An FPN alone is rarely the school or LA's first response to persistent absence.
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