Penalty Notices

To make sure all requests are appropriate please see our Code of Conducts;

Penalty Notice Code of Conduct (August 2024) is Live for all offences occurring after 19th August 2024.

Penalty Notice Code of Conduct (October 2023) (regarding all offences which occurred before the 19th August 2024)

Previous LBS Penalty Notice enquiries as per the National Framework guidelines, please contact crossborder.penaltynotice@cognus.org.uk

Please read all sections fully before entering/uploading details.

Legal proceedings deadlines for Year 6 and Year 11 pupils

Holiday PN’s:

No deadlines, although please be aware that after February half term none of these would be eligible to be escalated to court.

PN’s for non-attendance:

No PN requests will be accepted after the end of the spring term for Year 11s, as there will be inadequate time remaining for the next step in the legal process if they do not pay, given May/June study leave.
No PN requests will be accepted after the end of the first half of the Summer Term for year 6s and please be aware that PNs from 1^st May onwards will unlikely be escalated to prosecution if they go unpaid due to being so close to the end of their time at primary school.

Prosecution:

No Year 11 prosecutions will be considered after the February half term as they would not reach court until April at the earliest. With study leave in May/June it does not have the capacity to achieve the desired outcome.
No Year 6 prosecutions will be considered after 1^st May due to the timeframes resulting in not reaching court until July when their time at primary school is ending.

Penalty Notice request referral form

School Details

Name of Referrer(Required)

Job title of Referrer(Required)

School Name(Required)

Email Address(Required)

Please read the following statement(Required)

I confirm

I agree to support the full Fixed Penalty Notice process, including providing witness statements and headteachers certificates (S566s) when asked for cases proceeding to prosecution. The Headteacher agrees that where a referral is completed by a member of staff other than the Headteacher this will still be the case. I can confirm that our school attendance policy clearly lays out the expectations for pupil attendance and what regular attendance means. Please ensure all requests for fixed penalty notices are submitted to the Local Authority Attendance Team within 15 school days of absence meeting the criteria

Pupil Details

Name(Required)

First Last

Year Group(Required)

Please note for Reception children statutory school age starts the term after the child turns 5. Please note for year 11 pupils, we will not be accepting any new referrals past the end of the Spring Term.

Date of birth(Required)

Child's Current Attendance %(Required)

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

Address (including postcode)(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Full name of main parent (or carer)(Required)

First Last

Full name of other parent (or carer)

First Last

If parents do not live in the same property please provide other address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Type of Referral – Please select ONE of the options below

In all cases, a Penalty Notice can only be issued to a parent if the pupil has accrued at least 9 sessions (4.5 school days) of unauthorised absence within the previous 6 school weeks (60 school sessions).

Please check the box if the reason for referral is – The pupil has been absent for the purposes of a holiday during term-time and the absence has not been authorised by the school?

The pupil has been absent for the purposes of a holiday during term-time and the absence has not been authorised by the school

Please check the box if the reason for referral is – The pupil has a rate of 90% or below of unauthorised absence over a six week period (10 sessions)

The pupil has a rate of 90% or below of unauthorised absence over a six week period

Please check the box if the reason for referral is – The pupil has arrived in school after registration has closed and the session has been recorded with a ‘U’

The pupil has arrived in school after registration has closed and the session has been recorded with a ‘U’

Unauthorised leave in term time – (Holidays)

This should be within 6 weeks to the date of referral unless before summer holidays. Please note we will not process a referral if the student is still away, you will need to refer once the pupil has returned to school.

Absence start date – Unauthorised leave in term time – (Holidays)(Required)

Absence end date – Unauthorised leave in term time – (Holidays)(Required)

Number of school sessions available – Unauthorised leave in term time – (Holidays)(Required)

Number of unauthorised sessions – Unauthorised leave in term time – (Holidays)(Required)

Did the parent apply for leave of absence? – Unauthorised leave in term time – (Holidays)(Required)

Yes

’Please upload warning letters sent to parents that leave has not been granted by the School(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 20 MB, Max. files: 2.

Unauthorised absence over 6 week period (minimum 10 sessions)

This should be within 6 weeks to the date of referral unless before summer holidays

Absence start date – The pupil has a rate of 90% or below of unauthorised absence over a six week period (10 sessions)(Required)

Absence end date – The pupil has a rate of 90% or below of unauthorised absence over a six week period (10 sessions)(Required)

Number of school sessions available – The pupil has a rate of 90% or below of unauthorised absence over a six week period (10 sessions)(Required)

Number of unauthorised sessions – The pupil has a rate of 90% or below of unauthorised absence over a six week period (10 sessions)(Required)

Upload whole school warning letters sent to each parent for whom you are requesting a penalty notice(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 40 MB, Max. files: 4.

Late arrival after register's closed (U code)

This should be within 6 weeks to the date of referral unless before summer holidays

Absence start date – Late arrival after register's closed (U code)(Required)

Absence end date – Late arrival after register's closed (U code)(Required)

Number of school sessions available – Late arrival after register's closed (U code)(Required)

Number of unauthorised sessions – Late arrival after register's closed (U code)(Required)

Upload whole school warning letter sent to each parent for whom you are requesting a penalty notice(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 40 MB, Max. files: 4.

Supporting evidence

Please upload any supporting documentation(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 4.

This should include this current and last year’s registration certificate (if available). If your referral is for persistent lateness or non-attendance, please include correspondence between the school and the parents, any meeting minutes/ signed agreements/ action plans to show the schools commitment to get the child back into regular education. If your referral is for unauthorised leave in term time, please include correspondence between the school and parents i.e. parental request letter/ email and decision made by school (which should include a warning about the possibility of receiving a penalty notice fine).

Summary of reason for PN referral(Required)

Including details of communications between school/family and school action undertaken with dates, parental response etc. Notes on any aggravating features that lead the Headteacher to request a Penalty Notice to be issued. This will support the decision to issue a Penalty Notice as well as provide evidence for prosecution if necessary. Please retain all evidence as this may be required for legal proceedings.

Thank you for submitting your request, the Attendance Support Team will be in touch shortly to confirm receipt.