School attendance guidance

A child must receive an education that suits their needs between the school term after their 5th birthday and the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16.

Under the terms of the education related provisions of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, Schools can ask us to issue penalty fines to parents and carers if:

• the child does not attend school regularly
• you take your child out of school to go on holiday
• your child is found outside of school more than twice in 12 months
• your child persistently arrives late for school after the register is closed

You must ask for the schools permission if your child needs time off school. A school will generally grant permission when:

• a child is too sick to attend
• exceptional circumstances, such as a death in the family

A pupil who has 80% attendance misses an equivalent of three whole years in their school life. It has been shown that missing too much school can cause:

• academic stress or anxiety
• poorer outcomes for the child
• disruptions to the rest of the class
• difficulty forming or maintaining friendships