Authorised and unauthorised absence

  • Absence and attendance in the sixth form
    Find out what you need to record in your register for sixth-form students. Learn about setting sanctions and whether you have to inform parents about students' absence.
  • Absence requests for religious observance
    Make sure you know how to handle requests for absence from both pupils and staff due to religious events. Also, find links to calendars of celebrations so you can keep on top of dates when you might see absence requests.
  • Pupil term-time absence: what you need to know
    Term-time absences can only be granted in 'exceptional circumstances'. Know what factors you need to consider when deciding whether a circumstance is 'exceptional' and making a judgement around how long the pupil needs to be away from school.
  • Tackling unauthorised absence: fining parents
    Your school is legally entitled to fine parents if their child has poor attendance. Find out when you can issue a penalty notice and whether you can challenge local authority decisions on penalty notices and prosecutions.