Nine parents appeared in Margate magistrates court during mid-August facing charges related to their children’s school absences during the preceding academic year. The cases reflected an ongoing government effort to improve attendance rates, which have remained elevated since pandemic-related school closures ended. Potential penalties ranged from fines to theoretical imprisonment, contingent upon the circumstances surrounding each absence.
One defendant acknowledged taking his daughter abroad for 10 days at the start of the summer term, marking the third consecutive year of holiday-period travel that reduced her attendance below 75%. He cited family stress and the need for respite as reasons for the timing, rather than cost considerations. Another parent received a £166 fine after being found guilty of taking his daughter on a term-time trip for dental treatment, having previously been fined for similar conduct in prior years.
The enforcement actions coincide with persistent challenges in recovering attendance levels to pre-pandemic norms. Data released during the same week indicated that absences for the academic year 2025-26 stood at 6.93%, slightly higher than the previous year and significantly above the 2018-19 rate of 4.7%. Persistent absenteeism—defined as missing at least 10% of school—has doubled since the pandemic, affecting nearly one in five pupils.
A more serious case involved a 14-year-old with an annual attendance rate of just 19%. His mother indicated that her son had experienced severe bullying, including violent assault, and had been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. The case was adjourned to allow a duty solicitor to gather evidence regarding the circumstances. Education Minister Paul Waugh acknowledged slowing progress toward pre-pandemic attendance levels, noting a pattern of heightened absences on Fridays, potentially reflecting broader disengagement with schooling.
Records showed that 492,825 penalty notices for unauthorized absences were issued to parents during 2024-25, representing a slight increase from the prior year and a substantial rise from the pre-pandemic figure of 333,388.
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