The legitimate reasons a child is allowed to miss a day of school

Fining parents due to a child's absence from school is very much seen as a last resort, but it can and does happen.

In order to avoid being fined, parents and guardians must know the rules around when a child can legitimately be marked as absent from school and what happens if a day off is marked as unauthorised. The UK Government was keen to stress that before any fine is issued, "schools and local authorities will try and provide support to help you improve your child’s attendance first".

But if this isn’t effective or the absence is for unauthorised term time holiday, parents may face being charged. From August 2024, the fine for school absences across the country will be £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days.

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A statement on the Government's education blog said: "Currently, it’s the responsibility of the local authority to decide whether or not to issue fines to parents, meaning the process varies from council to council. However, under the new national framework, all schools will be required to consider a fine when a child has missed 10 or more sessions (5 days) for unauthorised reasons.

"Fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action like a parenting order or prosecution will be considered. If you’re prosecuted and attend court because your child hasn’t been attending school, you could get a fine of up to £2,500."

However, there are real reasons your child may be absent from school that are already currently recognised by schools, local authorities and the