Pay an Education Penalty Notice
You may be issued with an Education Penalty Notice if:
- you take your child on holiday for 5 days or more during term-time, which has not been approved by the school
- your child has 5 days (10 sessions) of unauthorised absences from school during a 10-week school period which are unauthorised
- your child has been excluded from school and you fail to ensure they are not in a public place during the first 5 days of exclusion.
Each parent or carer may receive a separate penalty notice for each child taken out of school or failing to attend.
How to pay an Education Penalty Notice
You can pay an Education Penalty Notice by debit card by calling 01634 333 333 and quoting your reference number.
Cost and charges of the fine
You need to pay the fine within 28 days of it being issued.
If you pay the fine in the first 21 days, it will be reduced to £80.
If you do not pay the fine within 21 days it will increase to £160.
If you do not pay the fine within 28 days, you may be prosecuted and could be fined up to £1,000 and get a criminal record.
View the code of conduct for Education Penalty Notices.
For more information email aassa@medway.gov.uk or phone 01634 337 310.
Repeat fines
Only 2 penalty notices can be issued to a parent for the same child within a 3-year period.
The first penalty notice will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
A second penalty notice issued to the same parent for the same child will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. There is no reduction if paid earlier.
We cannot issue a third penalty notice to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year period. Action will be taken if your child has an unauthorised absence for a third time, or more, within 3 years. This may include legal interventions and prosecution.