What is unauthorised absence?

An absence is unauthorised when the school has not given permission or does not accept the reason. Common examples include holidays in term time that were not granted, a pupil arriving after the register has closed, and absences where no reason has been given or the reason is not acceptable.

In England, the attendance register uses codes such as G (holiday not granted), O (absent in other or unknown circumstances) and U (arrived after registration closed), which count as unauthorised absence. Code N is used while the reason has not yet been established. The national framework for penalty notices in England says a penalty notice must be considered when a pupil has 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school weeks.

England and Wales

Both nations separate authorised and unauthorised absence, but the codes, guidance and rules on fines differ. In Wales, local authorities follow Welsh Government guidance, which is separate from the English national framework.

Why it matters for your setting

• Following up unexplained absence quickly is a safeguarding step, not just an attendance one.
• If a pupil misses sessions with you, their school needs to know promptly so it can record the absence correctly.
• Good notes on what you did to find out the reason protect the pupil and your setting.

How PupilDB helps

PupilDB registers record absence reasons from your own list, with notes, and send email reminders when a register has not been finished, so gaps are spotted the same day. Statutory attendance codes are on our roadmap.