Non-Attendance at School – Formal Action
London Borough of Newham is committed to raising attendance in order to maximise the educational possibilities available to all children and young people.
Regular and punctual attendance at school is essential and a legal requirement.
If you are experiencing difficulties in ensuring the regular school attendance of your child, we are here for you!
Whatever the reasons are for your child not attending school, please let us know, we care, and we are here to support you and your child.
If your child is anxious or worried about going to school, ask the school for help. Every child is entitled to additional support to help them engage with learning and there will be a named member of staff who has a specific responsibility for this.
Our aim is for non-attendance to be resolved through effective partnership working with parents, pupils, schools, our Attendance Targeted Support Service and other agencies. However, where it has not been possible to resolve non-attendance, or parents actively prevent, or fail to ensure that their children access education, legal sanctions can and will be considered.
A School Attendance Order (SAO) referral form must be used to report children where you, the named school, are not satisfied that the parents are providing a suitable education to a child of compulsory school age and it is appropriate for the child to attend school - Section 437(3) Education Act 1996.
The SAO will require the child’s parents/carers to register the child at the named school or advise the named school what other education arrangements have been made. Failure to comply with a School Attendance Order amounts to an offence for which the parent can be prosecuted in court.
The school will make a referral for a school attendance order to be served on parents/carers when all of the following circumstances apply:
- The child is of compulsory school age;
- The family will not agree a start date with the named school or the Elective Home Education Service;
- It has been established that the child is not receiving education elsewhere.
