Attendance at School

If you are a parent or carer of a child who is registered at school (between the age of 5-16) you will need to make sure they go to school regularly. Having a good education will help your child to have the best possible start in life. Here are a few reasons why it is important to attend school regularly:

• They will not be able to keep up with school work.
• Young people who are off school are at risk of becoming victims of crime or abuse.
• Children may also be drawn into antisocial or criminal behaviour.
• Employers will want to be sure that the people they are hiring are reliable. So children who have not attended their school regularly have less chance of getting a job.

What can parents/carers do to help?

The most important thing you can do is to make sure your child goes to school regularly, arrives on time and keeps to the school's rules of attending all lessons. Here are a few more tips:

• If your child is ever off school, you must tell the school why.
• If your child is ill, contact the school on the first day of your child's illness. Staff will be concerned if they do not hear anything.
• If you want permission for your child to miss school for a special occasion such as a wedding, you should ask for permission well in advance and give full details.
• If your child starts missing school, help the school to put things right. Make sure your child understands that you do not approve of them missing school.
• Do not expect the school to agree to shopping trips during school hours.

The law and attendance

• Parents are committing an offence if they fail to ensure their child's regular attendance at school.
• Prosecution could result in a fine of up to £2,500, a jail sentence of up to three months or a community sentence.
• Education Welfare Officers, Police Officers and head teachers have the authority to issue penalty notices to parents of between £50 and £100. Failure to pay a properly issued penalty notice will result in prosecution.
• Parenting contract - where parents need support to prevent their child from truanting, schools and local authorities may offer to enter into a parenting contract. This is a voluntary two sided agreement between the parent and school or local authority under which the parent agrees to comply with certain requirements and the school or local authority agrees to provide them with the support that they need.