As a school, we have no doubt that every day a child is absent from the classroom, they fall further behind their peers and find it more difficult to keep pace with their learning. 

Up to this point, although it has been part of our attendance policy, we have never issued a fixed penalty notice to a parent for unauthorised absence, however, it is clear from guidance issued to us, and from our own levels of attendance, that we will now need to move forward with this. This is a national government expectation.