School attendance

Use this guide to find information on school attendance, truancy, and Penalty Notices.

By law, children aged 5 to 16 years old 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 and on time.

Good school attendance gives your child the opportunity for success and helps develop skills for life. 

Missing school can:

  • damages a pupil’s learning 
  • impact their grades
  • disrupt routines 
  • make pupils vulnerable to crime 
  • impact their mental health in the long term.