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Attendance and truancy

If your child is of compulsory school age and is registered at a school, they must attend school regularly and punctually.

Attendance 

Failure to ensure your child attends school regularly and punctually may result in court action or you may be issued with a penalty notice for £160, reduced to £80 if you pay it within 21 days. You have 28 days to pay. If you don’t pay, you may face prosecution. There is no right of appeal for Penalty Notices.

Fines must be paid in full. Late, part payments or instalments will not be accepted. Please find below a link to Islington Council’s Penalty Notice Code of Conduct.

Pay Education Penalty Notice: up to 21 days

Pay Education Penalty Notice: 22-28 days

Term time leave

In line with government guidance, Islington schools will not authorise holidays in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Truancy 

When a child or young person is absent from school without permission they are truanting. This includes if they have been excluded from school and are found in a public place without good reason. It’s your responsibility to make sure that your children arrive at school on time and attend school regularly. Please try to arrange visits to the doctor or dentist outside school hours. 

You must not keep children out of school to help with shopping or look after younger children.  

The Police and Council carry out truancy patrols within Islington. If they see a child or young person who they think is truanting, they can escort them back to school or to another safe place and notify their parents.

Contact

Phone: 020 7527 3747

Email: pupilservices@islington.gov.uk

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