The government will raise fines handed to parents for unauthorised school absence by a third and force all schools to submit daily attendance data from September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parents are currently fined \u00a360, rising to \u00a3120 if not paid within 21 days, for unauthorised absences. Ministers said today they would increase for the first time since 2012 to \u00a380 (rising to \u00a3160), bringing them in line with inflation over the past 12 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guidance on how to tackle absences will become statutory from the beginning of next academic year, as will participation in the government\u2019s daily attendance tracker, which scrapes data from schools\u2019 electronic registers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The guidance will include a national \u201cframework\u201d governing absence fines, amid concerns about inconsistency from area to area. Legislation to enact the changes will be introduced in Parliament tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It means schools will be required to consider fines when children miss more than five days \u2013 or 10 half-day \u201csessions\u201d – at school in 10-week period, a proposal already set out in a government consultation in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n