This is the letter you will receive if we decide to seek legal action.

Dear Parent or Carer

I am writing to inform you that your child’s attendance information has been sent to Sheffield’s Local Authority Attendance and Inclusion Officer for consideration of legal action against you due to non-attendance.

This is because we believe that you could be considered to be committing an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, which states

444. Offence: failure to secure regular attendance at school of a registered pupil.

(1) If a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at the school, his parent is guilty of an offence.

You should also be aware that if you have previously been issued a penalty notice or if you have been prosecuted for this offence and take another period of unauthorised leave, you will be knowingly taking your child out of school without authorisation, which may lead to an aggravated offence under 444(1a) of the Education Act 1996.

If you have any questions about what this means, please do not hesitate to contact me in school, by telephone 0114 249 4036 or by email to r.sutton@phillimore.sheffield.sch.uk

My advice at this time is for you to make every effort possible to ensure your child attends school every day on time.