Absence
If your child is going to be absent from school you should contact your child’s school on the first morning of any absence by phone or in person. You should explain the reason for your child’s absence and indicate when you think he or she is likely to return.
When your child does return to school, you should ensure that you send in a dated note confirming the reason for the absence. You should also do this if you child is going to be late.
If you do not notify the school, the school will probably try and contact you. The school may also decide to record your child’s absence as unauthorised, or truancy. They may then involve a School Attendance Officer.
You can only allow your child to miss school if:
- they’re too ill to go in
- you’ve got advance permission from the school
- unavoidable reasons, such as a family bereavement
There’s extra support available (link opens in new window) if your child can’t go to school for long periods because of a health problem.
See also: non-school attendance