On August 19^th 2024 the law was changed and any holidays during term time will not be authorised.

If you take a leave of absence without authorisation from school and the unauthorised absence meets the LA Code of Conduct Penalty Notice criteria of 10 sessions absence (5 school days) within a 10-school week period, the Local Authority will now issue you with a Penalty Notice fine.

Penalty Notice fines are £160 to be paid within 28 days, reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.

If unpaid after 28 days, the fine is withdrawn. You are then at risk of prosecution for the original offence of failing to secure regular attendance at school (Section 4441 of the Education Act 1996). This offence carries a maximum fine of £1000.

If a second Penalty Notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, the fine will be £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.

A limit of 2 Penalty Notices can be issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period. 

At the 3rd or subsequent offence, the Local Authority will consider a prosecution or other Attendance Legal Intervention.

Fines are issued individually to each parent for each child.