Withdrawal is only a right in certain subjects
Maintained schools
You must follow the National Curriculum. The following table shows which subjects parents 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 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' right to withdraw their children from relationships and health education (primary) and relationships and sex education (secondary).
PE
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