Maintained schools You must follow the National Curriculum. The following table shows which subjects parents/carers have the automatic right to withdraw their child from: Subject Automatic right to withdraw child? Religious education (RE) Yes Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education From some aspects – see below English No Mathematics No Science No Art and design No Citizenship No Computing No Design and technology No Languages No Geography No History No Music No Physical education (PE), including swimming at either KS1 or KS2 No Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education Parents/carers can withdraw their children from sex education, apart from the aspects covered by the science curriculum. They can't withdraw their children from relationships or health education. Find out more about parents' and carers' right to withdraw their children from relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). PE Parents/carers can't withdraw their children from PE. This includes: Swimming in KS1/KS2 (as it's part of the National Curriculum) – get more detail on your requirements for swimming Off-site PE activities arranged by the school as part of the curriculum Cold weather – you
Withdrawing pupils from subjects
Find out which subjects parents/carers can withdraw their children from and how these rules apply to maintained schools, academies and independent schools. Plus, get advice on disapplying pupils from the National Curriculum.
Last reviewed on 30 October 2024
- Withdrawal is only an automatic right in certain subjects
- Withdrawal on religious grounds
- Withdrawing pupils from optional GCSE subjects
- How to respond to requests
- Disapplying the National Curriculum