Illness and your child’s education
All children get ill from time to time. There are processes in place to ensure that when your child is ill, as long as you notify the school, it will not affect their place. Of course, there are also some children who have ongoing health issues, which we, and our schools will always try and support.
Educating children with health needs
By law, if your child has a medical or mental health condition and can’t go to school, we must support you to make sure he or she gets an education while away from school.
What your child's school must do
Your child's school is responsible for providing your child's education. And the school will have a policy on educating children with health needs, which you can ask for.
The school will:
- Tell us if your child has been or will be away from school for more than 15 school days
- Tell us about your child’s specific needs and circumstances
- Draw up a work programme for your child
- Help your child adjust when they come back to school
- Tell your child about school events and clubs
- Encourage your child to stay in contact with their friends and other students.
What we must do
If your child will be off school for more than 15 days, we will make sure they are provided with an education as soon as possible.
Once your child’s school or treating medical team makes a referral, we will contact you to make arrangements for this to take place.
The education we provide could include:
- Outreach 1:1 teaching in your home or the community
- Virtual learning (if your child is at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4)
- Access to small supported teaching groups
- Access to teaching and learning throughout a hospital stay
- A mix of both based on your child’s needs.
We are also responsible for making sure your child:
- Has access to education as if they have been absent from school for 15 days or more
- Has access to a good quality education similar to that in school so they can
- Keeps up with children of the same age
- Can easily return to school
- Doesn’t miss out on taking any exams.
Illness and your child’s education
Government guidance for what to do if your child is in education and has a medical condition or gets sick while at school.