Understanding School Attendance Rules (and What Counts as an Unauthorised Absence)

School attendance rules can feel strict and surprisingly difficult to interpret. Parents may hear terms such as authorised absence, unauthorised absence, persistent absence and penalty notice without receiving a clear explanation of what they mean.

The most important point is that parents explain why their child is absent, but the school decides which attendance code should be entered in the register.

An absence can be genuine without automatically being authorised. Equally, a low attendance percentage does not necessarily mean that a family has taken unnecessary time off. A child may be absent because of serious illness, disability, anxiety, medical treatment or another barrier requiring support.

This guide explains how attendance is recorded, what commonly counts as authorised or unauthorised, how term-time leave and fines work, and what families can do when attendance becomes difficult.

The detailed rules below apply mainly to compulsory-school-age pupils registered at schools in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate attendance legislation, guidance and enforcement arrangements.

How school attendance is recorded

Parents are responsible for ensuring that a child of compulsory school age receives a suitable full-time education.

If the child is registered at a school, the parent must ensure that they attend regularly. Schools and local authorities can provide support and, where necessary, use legal action when a pupil has unauthorised absence.

The legal definition of a parent can include:

a biological or adoptive parent;
a person with parental responsibility;
a person who has day-to-day care of the child.

This is why attendance penalties can sometimes be issued separately to more than one adult.

Morning and afternoon sessions

Schools take an attendance register twice each day:

once during the morning session;
once during the afternoon session.

Each session receives an official attendance or absence code.

A child who misses one full school day will normally miss two sessions. National absence statistics and penalty-notice thresholds are therefore based on sessions rather than simply counting calendar days.

The register may show that a pupil was:

present;
attending an approved educational activity;
absent for an authorised reason;
absent without authorisation;
unable to attend for another circumstance covered by an official code.

Parents usually see an overall attendance percentage rather than every code, but they can ask the school to explain how an individual absence was recorded.

Lateness

Arriving late can be recorded in two different ways.

If the child arrives after registration begins but before the register closes, they will normally be marked present but late.

If they arrive after the register has closed without an authorised reason, the session can be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Repeated lateness can therefore affect attendance records and contribute to the total number of unauthorised sessions.

What counts as an authorised absence?

An authorised absence is one that the school records using an authorised absence code after considering the reason and available evidence.

Common examples may include:

genuine illness;
an unavoidable medical or dental appointment;
religious observance on a recognised day;
leave granted because of exceptional circumstances;
some regulated performances or employment;
absence connected with particular legal or statutory circumstances.

Authorised absence still normally reduces a child’s attendance percentage. The distinction matters because legal enforcement is particularly concerned with absence recorded as unauthorised.

Illness

If your child is too ill to attend, follow the school’s absence-reporting procedure on the first morning.

Provide:

your child’s name and class;
the reason for absence;
when the illness began;
when you expect them to return;
any information needed for a safe return.

Schools should not routinely demand medical evidence for every ordinary illness. However, they may ask for reasonable information where absence is repeated, prolonged or unclear.

Evidence might include:

an appointment message;
a prescription or medication label;
a hospital letter;
information from a relevant health professional;
evidence of an ongoing condition or treatment plan.

The school should avoid creating unnecessary barriers to authorising genuine illness. It must also investigate repeated absence and consider whether health, safeguarding, anxiety or unmet SEND is involved.

The NHS guide Is My Child Too Ill for School? provides practical guidance for common illnesses.

Medical and dental appointments

Routine appointments should be arranged outside school hours where reasonably possible.

When this cannot be done, tell the school in advance and provide confirmation if requested. A child should normally attend before or after the appointment where practical rather than automatically missing the entire day.

Religious observance

Schools can authorise absence for a day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the family belongs.

This does not necessarily mean that every day connected with a religious festival will be authorised. Additional time for travel or celebrations may need to be considered as an exceptional leave request.

What counts as an unauthorised absence?

An absence is unauthorised when the school decides that the reason does not meet the requirements for an authorised absence code.

Common examples include:

an unapproved term-time holiday;
staying home for a birthday;
shopping or leisure activities;
oversleeping;
missing school because uniform or equipment is unavailable;
staying home because a parent or sibling is unwell, without another exceptional reason;
absence with no explanation;
remaining away beyond the period approved by the school;
arriving after the register closes without an authorised reason.

A parent may feel that the reason was understandable, but the school remains responsible for selecting the correct register code.

An unauthorised absence does not automatically result in a fine. It may, however, contribute towards the national penalty-notice threshold.

When no explanation is provided

If a pupil is absent and the school has received no explanation, staff should make reasonable efforts to contact the family promptly.

This is both an attendance and safeguarding measure.

The absence may initially be recorded as unexplained. If no satisfactory reason is later provided, it can be changed to an unauthorised absence code.

Term-time holidays and exceptional leave

Headteachers can grant leave during term time only when they consider the circumstances exceptional.

There is no automatic entitlement to time off for:

a family holiday;
a cheaper trip outside school holidays;
a birthday;
an extended weekend;
an ordinary visit to relatives;
leisure activities.

A family holiday is not generally considered an exceptional circumstance.

Exceptional circumstances must be considered individually. Schools should not operate an informal allowance under which every family can take a fixed number of holiday days.

When requesting leave:

apply before the absence;
explain why it must take place during term time;
provide relevant evidence;
wait for the headteacher’s decision;
do not assume that submitting a request means permission has been granted.

The headteacher decides whether leave is authorised and, if so, how many sessions can be approved.

For a fuller explanation, read Can I Take My Child Out of School for a Holiday?.

Attendance percentages, persistent absence and severe absence

A pupil is classified as persistently absent when they miss 10% or more of the sessions they could have attended.

This is broadly equivalent to attendance of 90% or below, although the exact calculation is based on the pupil’s possible sessions at that point in the year.

The calculation includes both authorised and unauthorised absence.

A child may therefore become persistently absent because of:

serious illness;
medical treatment;
school anxiety;
SEND-related difficulties;
unauthorised holidays;
unexplained absence;
a combination of different causes.

Persistent absence is a statistical and monitoring category. It does not prove that parents have acted unlawfully.

A pupil is classified as severely absent when they miss 50% or more of possible sessions. These pupils are likely to need intensive and coordinated support.

Why percentages can look alarming early in the year

Attendance percentages can drop quickly during the first weeks of term because relatively few sessions have taken place.

Several days of genuine illness in September may initially produce a low percentage, even if attendance becomes regular for the rest of the year.

Parents and schools should consider:

the number of sessions missed;
the reasons for absence;
whether a pattern is developing;
how the percentage changes over time;
whether support is needed.

A percentage is useful, but it should not replace an informed discussion about the child’s circumstances.

How schools should respond when attendance falls

Schools should monitor attendance, identify emerging patterns and work with families to understand why a child is missing education.

The response should reflect the cause.

A child missing school for an unapproved holiday does not require the same response as a child unable to attend because of chronic illness, bullying, anxiety or unmet SEND.

Schools may:

contact the family about emerging concerns;
invite parents to an attendance meeting;
speak with the child;
involve pastoral staff or the SENCO;
agree an attendance support plan;
coordinate with health or family services;
formalise support where voluntary arrangements have not worked;
refer the matter to the local authority where appropriate.

What a useful attendance plan should contain

A useful plan should identify:

the barriers preventing attendance;
the pupil’s views;
what the family will do;
what the school will change or provide;
whether other services are involved;
the expected next steps;
when progress will be reviewed.

Possible support might include:

a named adult greeting the pupil;
help with bullying or friendships;
SEND assessment and reasonable adjustments;
a quieter arrival;
pastoral or mental-health support;
coordination with health professionals;
a carefully planned return after prolonged absence.

Parents should ask for specific actions rather than agreeing only that attendance “must improve”.

School leaders may also find Attendance Strategies That Actually Improve Persistent Absence useful.

School anxiety, refusal and SEND-related absence

Some pupils experience severe distress connected with attending school. Terms such as emotionally based school avoidance are often used to describe this pattern, although they are not official attendance register codes.

Possible signs include:

stomach aches or headaches before school;
panic during the morning routine;
difficulty leaving home;
sleep disruption;
frequent visits to the school medical room;
distress that reduces during weekends or holidays;
shutdowns or exhaustion after school.

Possible causes include:

bullying;
sensory overload;
unmet SEND;
academic pressure;
friendship problems;
mental ill health;
fear of a particular lesson, space or adult.

Parents should inform the school early and ask for a coordinated plan. Forcing attendance without addressing the barrier may intensify distress, while allowing a child to remain at home indefinitely without educational planning can make returning increasingly difficult.

Relevant guides include:

Attendance difficulties connected with SEND

Attendance problems can indicate that special educational needs are not being identified or supported adequately.

Potential barriers include:

sensory distress;
difficulty with transitions;
communication needs;
executive-function difficulties;
an inaccessible curriculum;
repeated behaviour sanctions;
masking and social exhaustion;
inadequate medical or personal-care support.

Ask the SENCO:

Which barriers has the school identified?
What reasonable adjustments are in place?
Is the pupil receiving SEN support?
How is the support being reviewed?
Is specialist advice required?

A formal diagnosis is not always required before the school responds to an identified need.

For more information, read SEN Support vs EHCP: What Is the Difference? and The Ultimate Guide to SEN Support and EHCPs for Parents.

Part-time timetables and alternative education

Pupils of compulsory school age are normally entitled to full-time education.

A temporary part-time timetable may occasionally be used in exceptional circumstances when it is considered necessary to meet a pupil’s needs.

It should not be used:

as a behaviour sanction;
to manage staff shortages;
because the school cannot provide required SEND support;
without parental involvement and regular review;
as an indefinite arrangement with no return plan.

A suitable written plan should explain:

why the reduced timetable is needed;
which sessions the pupil will attend;
what education will be provided;
how safeguarding will be managed;
how full-time attendance will be restored;
the review dates.

Alternative education during prolonged absence

If a child cannot attend school for a prolonged period because of illness or another reason, the local authority may have a duty to arrange suitable alternative education.

This does not normally mean that alternative provision begins after one brief illness. However, prolonged or repeated absence should not leave a child without suitable education indefinitely.

Parents can ask:

what work the school will provide;
whether home, hospital or remote teaching is appropriate;
whether the local authority has been informed;
how SEND and medical advice will be reflected;
how reintegration will be managed.

Penalty notices and the national absence threshold

England has a national threshold for considering a school attendance penalty notice.

The threshold is:

10 unauthorised sessions within a rolling period of 10 school weeks.

Ten sessions are normally equivalent to five complete school days. The sessions:

do not have to be consecutive;
can include different types of unauthorised absence;
can span different terms;
can span academic years;
can include attendance at different schools.

Reaching the threshold means that a penalty notice must be considered. It does not mean that one will automatically be issued in every case.

Notices to Improve

Where support is appropriate, a family may receive a formal Notice to Improve before a penalty notice is issued.

It may explain:

the attendance concern;
the support offered;
the improvement expected;
the monitoring period;
the possible consequences of further unauthorised absence.

A Notice to Improve is not always required. An unauthorised holiday, for example, may lead directly to consideration of a penalty notice because support would not change the completed absence.

How much are attendance fines?

Penalty notices are issued per parent, per child.

First penalty notice within three years:

£80 if paid within 21 days;
£160 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.

Second penalty notice for the same child within three years:

£160 payable within 28 days;
no reduced £80 rate.

A third penalty notice cannot normally be issued to the same parent for the same child within the rolling three-year period. The local authority must consider another response, which may include prosecution.

If two adults are each legally treated as a parent and two children incur a first penalty notice, four separate notices may be issued. The total could therefore be £320 at the reduced rate or £640 at the higher rate.

Who issues the notice?

Penalty notices are usually issued by the local authority after a request from the school, although other authorised bodies may have legal powers to issue them.

The decision should consider:

whether the absence is unauthorised;
whether the national threshold has been reached;
whether support is appropriate;
whether support has already been offered;
whether a Notice to Improve is suitable;
whether a penalty is likely to change behaviour;
whether another legal response is more appropriate.

Challenging a decision and possible legal action

There is generally no statutory appeal process against an attendance penalty notice equivalent to a school admissions appeal.

If you believe a notice was issued incorrectly, contact the issuing authority immediately.

A notice may potentially be withdrawn where:

it was issued outside the legal conditions;
it was issued to the wrong person;
important information shows that it should not have been issued;
another recognised withdrawal ground applies.

Do not ignore the notice while raising the issue. The payment deadline continues unless the authority confirms that the notice has been withdrawn.

If the notice is not paid

If a penalty notice is not paid within the required period, the local authority may prosecute the original attendance offence.

The case is not simply a claim for an unpaid £160. The court considers the allegation that the parent failed to ensure regular attendance.

Possible legal responses can include:

prosecution;
a parenting order;
an education supervision order;
a school attendance order in relevant circumstances.

Penalties following conviction can be substantially greater than the original notice. Families facing prosecution should consider obtaining independent legal advice.

Disputing an absence code

If you disagree with an absence code, ask the school:

which code was entered;
why it was selected;
which information was considered;
whether additional evidence is required;
whether the record can be corrected if an error occurred.

If the issue remains unresolved, write to the headteacher and use the school’s complaints procedure where appropriate.

Read School Complaints: When to Raise a Concern and When to Make a Formal Complaint before escalating the matter.

Frequently asked questions

Does an authorised absence reduce attendance?

Usually yes. Most authorised absences still count as missed sessions when the overall percentage is calculated.

Is 90% attendance considered good?

No. Missing 10% or more of possible sessions meets the statistical definition of persistent absence. The reasons still matter when deciding what response is appropriate.

Can a school refuse to authorise illness?

The school must use the code that accurately reflects the available information. It should not routinely demand medical evidence, but it may ask for reasonable clarification where absence is repeated, prolonged or unclear.

Can I take my child out of school for a holiday?

You can request leave, but ordinary holidays are generally not considered exceptional and are unlikely to be authorised.

Does five days of holiday always result in a fine?

Five complete days normally equal 10 sessions and reach the national threshold for consideration. A penalty notice is not necessarily automatic.

Can separate half-days add up to a fine?

Yes. The threshold concerns unauthorised sessions, and they do not need to be consecutive.

Can both parents receive a fine?

Yes. Penalty notices can be issued per parent, per child where each adult meets the relevant legal definition.

Can lateness count as unauthorised absence?

Yes. Arriving after the register has closed without an authorised reason can be recorded as an unauthorised missed session.

Will anxiety-related absence automatically be authorised?

No automatic rule applies. The school should consider the evidence, enter the appropriate code and work with the family to address the barriers.

Can a reduced timetable be used for anxiety?

A temporary part-time timetable may sometimes form part of an agreed support plan, but it should be exceptional, time-limited, reviewed and aimed at returning the pupil to suitable full-time education.

What should I do if my child refuses to attend?

Tell the school immediately and request a meeting to identify the barriers and agree support. Do not allow the situation to continue for weeks without an educational plan.

Are these rules the same throughout the UK?

No. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own attendance laws, codes and enforcement arrangements. The fine amounts and national threshold described above apply to England.