Around one in five pupils in England are at risk of falling below the government’s new mandatory threshold for absence fines, new analysis suggests.
And children eligible for free school meals and those with special educational needs and disabilities are “disproportionately” more likely to face fines under the new regime.
The Department for Education last week published new guidance on dealing with absences that will become statutory from September.
This includes a requirement to consider issuing fines for pupils who miss 10 or more half-day “sessions” to unauthorised absence in rolling 10-week rolling period.
