A Blog For Mums
Life with kids rarely runs to plan.
One minute you’re congratulating yourself for getting everyone out the door with both shoes on, and the next you’re wiping noses, rearranging work, or stuck in traffic while the school bell rings. It happens. But when it comes to school attendance in England, the rules are clear—and missing school without a valid reason can mean fines for parents.
The confusing bit? The laws are national, but how they’re enforced can feel very different depending on where you live.
Here’s a clear breakdown of what the rules actually say, what counts as an absence, and why those dreaded letters can look slightly different from one council to another.
Although most children start Reception at four, the legal duty for regular school attendance doesn’t begin until the term after your child turns five. From then until the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn sixteen, parents are legally responsible for making sure their children are in full-time education.
After that point, teenagers are no longer required to stay in school, but in England they must remain in some form of education or training until they turn 18. That could be sixth form, college, an apprenticeship, or work combined with training. It isn’t “school until 18,” but the law does require them to keep learning in some way.
This is where things get a bit murky for parents.
Authorised absences are the ones schools are allowed to agree to. That usually means illness (proper illness—sniffles aren’t a get-out card), medical or dental appointments that can’t be moved, and religious observances. Headteachers can also grant leave for “exceptional circumstances”, but the key word really is exceptional. A family holiday, however much cheaper in term time, won’t usually qualify.
Unauthorised absences are everything else: holidays, days off for shopping trips, or keeping kids at home “just because it’s the last day”. And here’s the one that often catches parents out—arriving late. If your child misses the register, even by just a few minutes, the school can mark it as unauthorised. Cue that horrible feeling when you know the absence log doesn’t quite reflect the morning chaos you just lived through.
If a child racks up ten unauthorised sessions (that’s five full school days) within a set period of ten weeks, the school has to consider issuing a penalty notice.
The fines are the same across England:
If there’s another fine within three years, there’s no discounted rate—it’s £160 straight away. And after that, no third notice is issued. Instead, the local authority can take you to court.
This is where playground gossip gets confusing. One mum says she managed to sneak a week away without issue, another got fined after a long weekend. Who’s right? In truth, probably both.
The rules are national, but local authorities handle the enforcement. Some councils send warning letters first, others go straight to fines. Some are stricter about punctuality, logging lateness as unauthorised absence more quickly. That’s why it feels like parents in one area are “luckier” than those in another—it isn’t the law that’s different, it’s the local approach.
If you ignore a penalty notice, it doesn’t just disappear. Instead, it can go to magistrates’ court. That’s when things get more serious: fines up to £2,500, community orders, or even short prison sentences for the most extreme cases. Courts can also issue parenting orders, which require you to attend support sessions.
Most cases never get anywhere near this stage, but it’s worth knowing that not paying a penalty notice can escalate quickly.
It’s easy to roll your eyes at the thought of fines, but there is a point to all this. Missing school adds up fast. Even ten days in a year is a big chunk of lessons gone—and it’s not just about learning. Children can find it harder to keep up socially if they’re missing lots of school, and that knock-on effect can last longer than we realise.
Of course, that doesn’t mean parents don’t have valid reasons for needing time off. Life doesn’t fit neatly into school terms, and most mums can think of at least one occasion where a rule felt far harsher than the situation deserved.
The challenge is balancing real life with the law—and understanding the rules puts you in a stronger place to do that.
The best way to avoid stress is to keep the lines of communication open with your child’s school. Call as soon as your child is sick, stick to their absence reporting system, and don’t be afraid to explain tricky situations.
If you’re facing something that really does count as exceptional—like a family emergency or significant life event—put the request in writing to the headteacher. Even if they say no, you’ll have shown honesty, which usually goes further than quietly keeping your child home.
If you are keeping the kids off for a holiday and sneakily trying to get away with it, well, the school might work it out when little Tommy comes in with a sun tan!
If you’ve ever opened one of those official letters and felt your stomach drop, you’re not alone. It’s natural to feel judged, even when you know you’re doing your best. But the system isn’t out to catch you out—it’s there to keep children in school as much as possible.
Knowing how it works makes a huge difference. Once you’re clear on what’s authorised, what isn’t, and how fines are applied, you’re in a much better position to avoid surprises—or to challenge a decision if it seems unfair.
School absence rules in England boil down to this: from the term after your child turns five, regular attendance is the law. Ten unauthorised sessions can lead to fines, which apply to each parent. The fine levels are the same across the country, but the way local authorities handle them can differ.
The best defence is simple—good communication, honesty, and keeping on top of the little details like calling in on time. No mum sets out to get fined, and no one’s perfect. But with a clear understanding of the rules, you’ll feel less stressed, more confident, and better able to keep your child’s education on track.
Children and the Law
