Working together to improve school attendance

 

Being in school and having the best attendance possible underpins all the many benefits of school for your child, such as their learning, wellbeing and wider development. For some children, attending school every day will be harder than for others. This is why schools, and local councils in some cases, are committed to working together with families to solve problems and support your child’s school attendance.

This guide covers two areas

: • parents’ responsibilities

1 for school attendance and what you need to do when your child needs to be absent.

• How schools and local authorities will work with you to support your child’s attendance.

Attendance - The Law

 

Parents’ responsibilities What are my responsibilities for my child’s attendance? As a parent, you are legally responsible for making sure your child gets a suitable full time education, usually from the age of 5 to 16.

For most parents, this will mean making sure your child is in school every day except when: -

1. Your child is too ill to go to school. 
2. You have permission for a leave of absence from your child’s school for them not to attend.
3. You should only ask for this in exceptional circumstances.