Fewer penalties issued to Greenwich parents for children missing school

School children during a Year 5 class at a primary school in Yorkshire. PA Photo. Picture date: Wednesday November 27, 2019. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Fewer penalty notices were issued to parents for children missing school in Greenwich last year, new figures show.

Penalty notices are handed to a guardian if a child frequently misses school and costs either £60 if paid within 21 days of receipt or £120 thereafter.

If it is not paid in four weeks, the local authority must either prosecute or withdraw the notice.

The National Association of Head Teachers said these fines are "too blunt" and are becoming ineffective as the number of penalty notices issued in England has risen above pre-coronavirus pandemic levels.

However, Department for Education figures show Greenwich Council handed out 101 penalties to parents and guardians for their child's persistent absence in the 2022-23 academic year – a fall from 153 the year before.

Before the pandemic in 2018-19, 286 notices were issued.

Nationally, nearly 399,000 fines were issued in 2022-23 – up 83% on the year prior, and a 20% jump from pre-pandemic figures.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said: "Fines have always been too blunt an instrument when it comes to tackling persistent absenteeism.

"The use of fines is controversial, and it is becoming clear that they are ineffective in addressing overall absence."

He added: "Unless more is done to find out the reasons behind continual periods of absence and tackle the root causes behind persistent absenteeism, including support for vulnerable families and for children and young people’s mental health, fining families is unlikely to solve the issue."

Of the fines issued nationally last year, 356,000 (89%) were for unauthorised holidays, as families looked to book cheaper vacations outside school term times.

It has more than trebled since 2016-17, when 116,000 such fines were imposed.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We know that regular school attendance is vital for a child’s education, wellbeing and future life chances."

They added: "Parents have a duty to make sure their child regularly attends school, and holidays should be around school breaks to avoid taking children out of school during term time.

"Our guidance is based on a support-first ethos, however we support schools and local authorities to use punitive measures such as fines where it is deemed appropriate."