Parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure that their children receive appropriate full-time education. In addition to the legal requirement, school attendance is a crucial factor in a child s educational and social development.
By truanting or by being absent from school without reasonable justification, your child not only misses out on valuable teaching but could also run other risks such as becoming the victim of crime or getting involved in crime.
By not attending school regularly and punctually, children also get into bad habits of poor reliability and time-keeping and as a result risk long-term unemployment when school days are over.
Children who work during school hours risk exploitation, and prosecution for the employer and parents. (The Education Dept offers advice on the hours which children may work and issues work permits. You can contact the dept on 01375 652568).
Parents and carers who fail to ensure that their children attend school regularly and punctually or who condone their absence from school without reasonable justification, run the risk of criminal proceedings and a possible fine if found guilty.
If your child has to be absent from school for a valid reason (e.g. for medical/dental treatment or illness) you should let the school know as soon as possible, by telephoning or writing, giving the reason for absence and the length of time your child is likely to be absent (in the case of a family holiday during term-time you should seek the agreement of the school before taking your child away).
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