A rise in school absences in Suffolk has seen parents being fined more than £450,000, it can be revealed.

More than 6,300 parents were pursued by Suffolk County Council for their children being absent from school during the previous school year.

The council has the authority to serve parents with Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for unauthorised school absences.

Between September 2022 to July 2023, the authority collected £455,940 from parents using FPNs, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

During the previous school year, £179,100 in FPNs was collected from 3,315 parents.

Dave Lee-Allan, chair of the Suffolk Association of Head Teachers and former head teacher at Stowmarket High School, explained the probable causes of the increase.

The Chair of the Suffolk Association of Secondary Head Teachers, Dave Lee-AllanThe Chair of the Suffolk Association of Secondary Head Teachers, Dave Lee-Allan (Image: Newsquest)

“There’s no one single reason but the pivot point would definitely be Covid.

“Was that to do with people deciding they didn’t need to come into school anymore? That’s one factor.

“Certainly there has been an increase in mental health problems because it seemed to really unsettle numbers of kids who previously may have had some anxieties.

“Post-Covid they decided they didn’t want to come out of their rooms again.”

He added the increase may also be caused by more parents taking advantage of lower holiday prices during term time due to the cost-of-living crisis.

“I think what is actually needed is a far more co-ordinated approach between social care and local authorities and schools to see how we can change this problem because individual schools facing some of these very complex issues find themselves fighting with their hands tied behind their back.”

The money collected though FPNs goes to Suffolk County Council rather than to the schools.  

A spokesperson for Suffolk County Council said schools were responsible for attendance.

“Where notified by the school that there is an attendance issue, the council will work with the school and other agencies to provide help and support to the family to get the child back into education.”