Number of penalty notices we can issue for non-school attendance

Penalty notices are issued to each parent of each child whose absence from school meets the code of practice.

This means that where a family is made up of a father, mother and 2 children, the family will receive 4 penalty notices. This is because the:

• father will receive 2 penalty notices, 1 per child
• mother will receive 2 penalty notices, 1 per child

All 4 penalty notices must be paid. If only 1 parent pays the penalty notice, legal proceedings are taken against the parent that has not paid.

Only 1 penalty notice per parent is issued in respect of a child in any 12-month period. If a pupil continues to not go to school without the school’s permission, we do not issue a second penalty notice. We instead consider prosecuting under S444 of the Education Act 1996.