School Absence Fines Still Vary Widely Across England

School absence fines continue to vary significantly across England despite the introduction of a national framework intended to bring greater consistency. Recent analysis shows penalty notice rates have reached their highest recorded level, with notable differences between regions and local authorities. While overall absence has begun to stabilise following increases after the pandemic, enforcement approaches remain uneven, with some areas issuing far higher numbers of fines than others despite similar absence levels.

The data also highlights that the majority of fines are linked to term-time holidays, even though these account for a relatively small proportion of overall absence. Wider patterns suggest that where a family lives still plays a role in how absence is managed, with variation in both fine issuance and follow-up action such as prosecution. These findings raise questions about how consistently the national framework is being applied, and point to the need for a more balanced approach that combines enforcement with early support for families—an approach aligned with the wider shift towards prevention and Family Help within current education and safeguarding reforms.

Further detail can be found via the Education Policy Institute and the Sutton Trust, who have published the underlying analysis and tools referenced above.