Pupils: Absenteeism
Commons · Question 27346 · Tabled 4 Sep 2026 · Department for Education · Official record
Answered 11 Sep 2026
Question
Asked by Iqbal Mohamed
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the reasons cited by parents for absences that subsequently resulted in Fixed Penalty Notices.
Answer
Answered by Paul Waugh, 11 Sep 2026
In the 2024/2025 academic year, 93% of penalty notices were issued for unauthorised family holidays. This is an increase of 4% compared to the previous year. A further 0.3% were issued for lateness and the remaining 7% for other unauthorised circumstances...