School attendance and absence

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1. Overview

You must make sure your child gets a full-time education that meets their needs (for example if they have special educational needs).

The guidance is different if you live in , or .

You can send your child to school or educate them yourself.

Children must get an education between the school term after their 5th birthday and the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16.

You鈥檒l be contacted by either:

  • the school - if your child is enrolled in school and does not turn up (even if they鈥檙e only absent for a day)
  • the council鈥檚 education welfare officer - if they think your child is not getting a suitable education at home

You can be prosecuted if you do not give your child an education. You鈥檒l normally get warnings and offers of help from the local council first.

You can get education and attendance information from your council.

When your child can miss school

You can only allow your child to miss school if either:

  • they鈥檙e too ill to go in
  • you have advance permission from the school

罢丑别谤别鈥檚 extra support available if your child cannot go to school for long periods because of a health problem.

There may be other exceptional circumstances where you can ask to take your child out of school. Your school will consider each application and may let you take your child out of school.聽

Holidays in term time

A holiday is generally not considered an exceptional circumstance. You cannot usually take your child away during term time.

You can be fined or face legal action for taking your child on holiday during term time.

School trips

Your child鈥檚 school can ask you for a voluntary contribution towards the cost of activities like school trips. They cannot stop your child from attending if you do not pay, but they should cancel the activity if there is not enough money to cover the cost of it.

2. Help with getting your child to go to school

If you鈥檙e having trouble getting your child to go to school, the school and local council can help.

The school will discuss attendance problems with you and should agree a plan with you to improve your child鈥檚 attendance.

A lot of local councils have teams that help parents improve their child鈥檚 attendance at school. The council will tell you if they鈥檙e able to help. Forms of help could include:

  • support to reduce the burden on children where families are in difficulty (for example if a child is spending a lot of time caring for someone)
  • working with families and schools to overcome bullying and other serious problems
  • a parenting contract

Parenting contract

This is a voluntary written agreement between you and either the local council or the school鈥檚 governing body. Between you, you agree to find ways to improve your child鈥檚 attendance.

If you refuse to make a contract or you do not stick to it, it can be used as evidence if the local council decides to prosecute you.

3. Legal action to enforce school attendance

Local councils and schools can use various legal powers if your child is missing school without a good reason. They can give you:

  • a Parenting Order
  • an Education Supervision Order
  • a School Attendance Order
  • a fine (sometimes known as a 鈥榩enalty notice鈥�)

You can be given one or more of these but the council does not have to do this before prosecuting you.

Parenting Order

This means you have to go to parenting classes. You鈥檒l also have to do what the court says to improve your child鈥檚 school attendance.

Education Supervision Order

If the council thinks you need support getting your child to go to school but you鈥檙e not co-operating, they can apply to a court for an Education Supervision Order.

A supervisor will be appointed to help you get your child into education. The local council can do this instead of prosecuting you, or as well.

School Attendance Order

You鈥檒l get a School Attendance Order if the local council thinks your child is not getting an education.

You have 15 days to provide evidence that you鈥檝e registered your child with the school listed in the order or that you鈥檙e giving them home education. If you do not, you could be prosecuted or given a fine.

Fine

Your local council can give each parent a fine of 拢80, rising to 拢160 if you do not pay within 21 days.

From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent will only get up to 2 fines for the same child in a 3-year period.

If you get a second fine in 3 years it will be 拢160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school.

If your child is off school 3 or more times within the 3 years you will not be fined but may be taken to court.

Check your local council鈥檚 rules on when you can be fined and how to pay a fine.

If you鈥檙e taken to court

You could get a fine of up to 拢2,500, a community order or a jail sentence up to 3 months. The court could also give you a Parenting Order.