education-newpage-2
What is a fixed-penalty notice?
A fine that can be issued to parents when their children:
- have unauthorised absence from school, including unauthorised term-time holidays
- are seen in a public place during the first five days of school exclusion, without a good reason
- have been stopped in a public place during a truancy patrol and are absent from school without a valid reason.
Why are they used?
Penalty notices are used as a way to promote regular school attendance. They provide a quicker and less serious alternative to prosecution when sanctioning parents whose children miss school without a good reason.
Who can decide that a fixed-penalty notice should be issued?
- Head Teachers and designated senior members of school staff
- Education Welfare Officers
- Police Officers and Community Support Officers.
What is the penalty?
- a fine of £50 if paid in full within 28 days of issue
- a fine of £100 if paid in full after 28 days but within 42 days of issue.
What if there are two parents and more than one child involved?
Each parent will receive a separate fine for each child. So if two parents take two children out of school for a holiday, altogether they may have to pay £200 (within 28 days) or £400 (after 28 days but within 42 days).
How many penalty notices can be issued to a parent?
A parent can receive up to three penalty notices for the same child in any one calendar year.
What if the penalty notice is unpaid?
If the fine remains unpaid after 42 days, the local authority would prosecute the parent in the Magistrates' Court for the original non-attendance offence (not for non-payment of the penalty notice).
If found guilty, the parent will have a criminal record, face a bigger fine of up to £1,000 for a first offence and may have to pay costs to the local authority.
Do parents have the right of appeal against a fixed-penalty notice?
Parents do not have a statutory right of appeal once a fixed-penalty notice has been issued. Penalty notices can only be withdrawn if they were issued in error or to the wrong person or there is material evidence of error.
If parents believe that the penalty notice has been issued in error they should contact the local authority in the first instance.
How is a fixed-penalty notice paid?
Payments can be made:
- in person at council offices
- by credit transfer at any high street banks
- through your bank's telephone or internet banking service
- at any post office
- by debit or credit card using Barnet Council's automated telephone service or website
- by post (crossed cheques and postal orders should be made payable to 'London Borough of Barnet') and sent to:
Revenues
London Borough of Barnet
PO Box 49085
London N11 9AG.
Full details can be found at the back of the penalty notice itself.
Email this pageLast modified by: Ferzana Arif on 03/08/2010