Why attendance is important
By law if your child is aged 5 to 17 years old, she or he must be in full-time education. Your child can be educated at school or at home.
If your child is to be educated at school, you must:
- Register your child at a school
- Make sure your child goes to school regularly
- Make sure your child goes to school on time.
Registering your child at a school
You must enrol your child in a school or tell us if your child is in another form of education. If you don’t, you could face legal action.
Children who are not enrolled in full-time education are ‘missing from education’.
Going to school regularly
Going to school regularly is very important as it will help your child to:
- Develop social skills and confidence by making friends and socialising
- Prepare for adult life by getting used to a routine
- Get better results and so improve his or her chances in life.
And research shows that it also limits the risk from:
- Physical and emotional harm
- Exploitation by unsuitable adults
- Getting involved in crime and anti-social behaviour
Achieving poor school results and poor prospects.