Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the system of fining parents for taking their children out of school; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this system on families from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. We are facing an absence epidemic, with one in five children persistently absent. These figures are higher for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ statutory guidance sets out that schools must consider whether support is more appropriate before deciding whether a penalty notice should be issued. A penalty notice cannot be given for authorised absence, such as those due to illness.

In cases of holiday taken in term time without permission or where the parent has not engaged or support is not working, the law protects the child’s right to a full-time education. This can include the issuing of penalty notices.

Where a penalty notice is considered, the national framework for penalty notices (introduced on 19 August 2024 following national consultation) is designed to improve consistency and fairness across the country. It states that penalty notices must be considered on an individual basis, preventing schools from having blanket rules. Schools or local councils may choose to issue a notice to improve instead of a penalty notice. This is a further offer of support before a penalty notice is issued.