If absences become a concern, the school will make contact with home in the form of phone calls and/or letters in the first instance. If absences continue, home visits and invitations to meetings at school to formalise an attendance contract may be necessary to prevent further absence. Following this if, parents/carers fail to engage with the school support or fail to comply with the attendance contract, then a referral to the local authority for consideration for a penalty notice or legal action may be made.

• The first penalty notice issued to a parent in respect of a particular pupil will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
• A second penalty notice issued to the same parent in respect of the same pupil is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
• A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within those 3 years, alternative action should be taken instead. This will often include considering prosecution but may include other tools such as one of the other attendance legal interventions.

Unauthorised absence related to a refused leave of absence will also be referred to the local authority for them to consider a fixed penalty notice. This includes all holidays taken during term time.