Particular considerations: Education Penalty Notices as a response to unauthorised leave of absence
Where a child misses 10 or more consecutive sessions due to an episode of leave of absence taken without the consent of the school, each parent can be issued with an Education Penalty Notice without prior warning.
“Consecutive sessions” include those interrupted by weekends, school holidays, or other sessions where the child is not required to attend school. The sessions can also fall at the end of one school year and the start of the next.
“Episodes of unauthorised leave of absence” include any occasion where a parent has made a decision to withdraw their child from school without obtaining permission from the school. Most commonly this will be for the purpose of family holidays but can also be for other purposes such as family visits or to attend weddings.
Education Penalty Notices for episodes of unauthorised leave of absence will be issued by the LA without prior warning to the parent or service of a Notice to Improve.
An LA officer may only issue an Education Penalty Notice in respect of a child who is a registered pupil at a school in the area of Stockport LA or another LA which has an agreement to that effect with this LA.