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School penalty notices and how to pay

Information about penalty notices issued by Suffolk County Council for your child's unauthorised absence from school and how to pay online..

Staff working in children and young people’s services will always aim to work with schools and parent and carers to improve pupil attendance.

School fixed penalty notices are aimed at reducing the levels of unauthorised absence from school. They are mainly used as a measure to address attendance problems at an early stage before they are entrenched. They can also be used as a response to any unauthorised term time holidays.

Section 23 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 empowers designated local authority (LA) officers and the police to issue penalty notices in cases of unauthorised absence from school.

Penalty notices supplement the existing sanctions to enforce attendance at school currently available under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 and Section 36 of the Children Act 1989.

You can pay with a debit or credit card.

Details of other payment arrangements are included on the penalty notice.

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