Penalty notice issue and history-check checklist
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 7 October 2026
- Reviewed
- 7 October 2026
- Who this checklist is for
- Maintained and academy schools and authorised issuers who issue or support penalty notices in England.
- Jurisdiction
- england
13 checklist steps
Blank response areas · preview only
Identify the issuer
Record whether the person issuing the penalty notice is a local-authority officer.
Choose one
- Local-authority officer
- Someone other than a local-authority officer
Record case details
Response required
Record the pupil, parent and school details used for the penalty notice check.
Enter the relevant pupil, parent and school details
Check for a recent move
Determine whether the pupil has moved school or local-authority area within the previous three years.
Choose one
- Yes
- No
- Information unavailable
Check with the local authority before issuing
If the issuer is someone other than a local-authority officer, check with the local authority before issuing the penalty notice.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Notes
Record the pre-issue check
Response required
If the pre-issue local-authority check applies, record the date, contact or reference and information received. If information was unavailable, record that.
Enter the date, contact or reference, information received, or state that information was unavailable
Check relevant history where there was a recent move
If the pupil moved school or local-authority area within the previous three years, check whether previous penalty notices were issued to the parent in respect of the pupil.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Notes
Contact known previous local authorities
If the pupil moved between local authorities within the previous three years and the previous local authority or authorities are known, contact each known previous local authority to check whether a penalty notice was issued to that parent for that pupil within the previous three years.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Notes
Record the history-check result
Response required
Record the result of the relevant previous penalty-notice history check, including any previous school or local-authority contact and any information that was unavailable.
Enter the history result, contacts made and any unavailable information
Record the resulting decision
Record the decision resulting from the available information and checks.
Choose one
- Issue the penalty notice
- Do not issue the penalty notice
- Refer for further decision
Document the decision
Response required
Record the reasons for the decision, including how any unavailable information was considered.
Enter the decision rationale
Record whether a notice was issued
Record whether a penalty notice was issued following the decision.
Choose one
- Issued
- Not issued
Send the notice copy to the local authority
If someone other than a local-authority officer issued the penalty notice, send the local authority a copy of the notice issued.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Notes
Record the copy transmission
Response required
If a copy was required, record when and how it was sent to the local authority and any reference or confirmation available.
Enter the transmission date, method and reference or confirmation