Penalty Notices (fines) are issued by West Northamptonshire Council.

A Penalty Notice (fine) is an alternative to prosecution and requires the parent(s) to pay a fixed amount as a fine for their child’s attendance and avoid a court appearance.

They are used where a child has irregular attendance and/or five days of unauthorised absence.

• a Penalty Notice payable up to £160 fine
• prosecution under s444 (1) Education Act 1996, where if convicted you may be fined up to £1,000
• prosecution under s444 (1) (a) Education Act 1996 where if convicted you may be fined up to £2,500 and/or 3 months’ imprisonment

Decisions will be made on an individual, case-by-case basis and we will use the local authority arrangements for doing so.

The team that deals with attendance at West Northamptonshire Council is called the Educational Inclusion and Partnership Team (EIPT).  You can view their web page for parents here, which includes a guide to penalty notices.