About school attendance

We are responsible for ensuring that parents and carers make sure that their children go to school regularly. We must also ensure that school aged children have a right to and are not stopped from receiving a suitable education.

All children of compulsory school age (5 to 16 years) must receive a full time education by law.

Children must be in education between the school term after their 5th birthday and the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16.

Parents or carers are responsible for making sure this happens. This can be by both registering the child at a school and making sure they attend regularly or by providing other appropriate education such as home schooling.

If your child does not attend school regularly and there is not a genuine reason for the absence this will be recorded as unauthorised and you could be fined or even have to attend court.

If your child has a genuine reason to be absent, such as sickness, contact the school each day and write a letter of explanation for their return.

If your child's attendance is a concern you may need to provide medical evidence for the absence for it to be recorded as authorised.

You can contact us for more information by emailing aassa@medway.gov.uk or by phoning 01634 337 310.

Find out more about school attendance on GOV.UK.