School attendance

Things to remember

Low attendance means a lower chance of getting into further education and employment
Good attendance means higher grades and better chances in life
Missing the odd day can become a habit
Every lesson in school matters and if you have time off you may find it difficult to catch up
Absences for medical appointments should be requested as far in advance as possible and your parents/carers should try to make routine appointments (for example dental check ups) during school holidays or after school hours
School is a great place to have fun and make new friends and it can give you improved confidence
There is a strong link between non-attendance and street crime and / or substance abuse
Attending school improves your health! It encourages good social skills and the ability to create friendships and will also help you physically through regular exercise
Lateness equals lost learning
Five minutes every day adds up to over three days lost each year

It can be tricky to decide whether your child is too ill for school. For guidance see, NHS: Is my child too ill for school.

Finding advice

If you would like to talk to someone about attendance, or any other related issues, speak to the attendance officer at your school or Attendance Monitoring Team on 0191 424 7400.

More information about national regulation and legislation around school attendance can be found on the GOV.UK: Schools website.

Report truancy

If you are concerned that a child may be truanting and you are aware which school roll they are on, please contact the school directly. The school will inform the Council if appropriate.

Or, you can contact the Council's Attendance Monitoring Team on 0191 424 7400. Please supply as much information as possible to enable the team to investigate.

If you are concerned about the safety or behaviour of young people, contact the Police on 101. The Council's Attendance Monitoring Team does not have the right or power to approach young people in the street.

Penalty notices

Penalty notices are issued when a child misses school without permission. This includes:

parentally condoned absence
absence in term-time, which has not been authorised by the school
continuous lateness, after the register has closed
delayed return from absence
being in a public place during school hours without permission

Penalty notices issued before 19 August 2024

Penalty notices issued before 19 August 2024, will require the parent to pay a fixed penalty of £120 within 28 days of issue, discounted to £60 if paid within 21 days of issue.

Those who do not pay the full amount within 28 days are prosecuted in the Magistrates Court.

Penalty notices issued after 19 August 2024

From 19 August 2024, a maximum of 2 penalty notices will be allowed within a 3-year period. This begins from the date of the first penalty notice.

Fines are issued to each parent, for each child that was absent. For example, 3 siblings absent for the term time leave, would result in each
parent receiving 3 separate fines.

First offence

Penalty notice 1 will require each parent to pay a fixed penalty of £160 within 28 days of issue, discounted to £80 if paid within 21 days of issue.

Second offence

Penalty notice 2 will require each parent to pay a fixed penalty of £160 within 28 days of issue.

Third offence

If you receive a third offence, your case will be presented to the Magistrates Court. Prosecution can result in a criminal record and fines of up to £2,500. This can show on your DBS cerificate.

For more information, see the Code of conduct for education related penalty notices.

View the The Attendance Monitoring Team privacy notice.

Pupil Attendance and Absence Management Policy

The South Tyneside Attendance Team has a statutory duty and responsbility for school attendance. They promote regular attendance for all children of statutory school age in South Tyneside.

To view the policy, see pupil attendance and absence management policy.

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