Absence from school

Education is important - Missing school means missing out

Children should attend every school day, on time and ready to learn.

Permitting absence from school without good reason is an offence by the parent that can result in legal action by the Local Authority.

Ensuring your child's attendance

Children are sometimes unhappy about attending school and families can be unsettled at times and this can make regular school attendance difficult. Any problems with regular attendance or concerns about bullying or learning difficulties are best sorted out between the school, the parents and the child. 

If your child is refusing to attend, it is best not to cover up their absence or to give in to your child and excuse them from attending. This gives the impression that school attendance does not matter and may make things worse. 

The school may make use of a Parenting Contract to try and resolve any problems.

The school day is divided into morning and afternoon session’s absence is classified by school staff as either authorised or unauthorised. Information about the cause of absence is always required, preferably in writing.

Authorised absences

Authorised absences are mornings or afternoons away from school for a good reason like illness or other unavoidable causes and emergencies.

Unauthorised absences

Unauthorised absences are those which the staff at school do not consider reasonable and for which no “leave” has been given. This includes:

• Parents who keep children off school for trivial reasons like birthdays, shopping etc.
• Truancy before or during the school day
• Absences which have never been properly explained by parents
• Children who arrive at school too late to get a mark

Attendance Policy

All schools have attendance targets to meet and an Attendance Policy that sets out the procedures for encouraging attendance and responding to absence that have been agreed by the schools Governors.

Education Welfare Officer

Parents are expected to contact school staff and to resolve problems together. This method is usually successful but if difficulties cannot be resolved, the school may refer the parents to the Local Authority’s Education Welfare Officer (EWO).

The Officer will try to help parents to resolve the situation by agreement whenever possible but, if the child’s attendance fails to improve, Officers can use legal proceedings if necessary, including Penalty Notices (fines) or prosecution. Alternatively, parents or pupils may wish to contact the Education Welfare Officer directly to ask for help or information about school attendance. Education Welfare Officer are independent from the school and will give impartial advice.

Download

For information about parenting contracts and penalty notices click on the PDF icon below: