Attendance in school
By law, parents must ensure their child is receiving suitable education. We want all children in Redbridge to feel safe, supported, and respected.
It is the responsibility of parents and carers to make sure their child attends school regularly and on time. If your child misses school without a good reason, you could face legal action.
For more information on legislation and laws go to GOV.UK to see Education Act 1996 and Children Act 1989
Help children stay in education
The Education Welfare Service (EWS) highlights the importance of regular school attendance and investigates the causes of poor attendance.
The EWS works closely with schools, parents, young people and other agencies to ensure this.
Contact us
If you have any general enquiries, contact the EWS Team for advice and support
Children missing from education (CME)
CME are children who have
- moved to Redbridge and have not been registered at a school or other suitable education
- left a Redbridge school without a confirmed destination
These children are often very vulnerable and may be at risk of harm or exploitation. That’s why it’s important for services to work together to help them return to education quickly.
Make a referral for a CME
If you have full details of a child who may be missing from education, you can make a referral for a CME online
Contact us
If you have a CME enquiry or want to update a previous referral, contact the CME Team for advice and support
Tell us a child has been removed from a school
You need to notify us if a child has been off rolled (removed) from a Redbridge school.
Complete an off-roll notification
What happens if your child misses school
If your child misses school without permission, there can be serious consequences. These may include:
- removing your child from school
- getting a school penalty notice of £160 per parent, per child (reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days)
- being taken to court if you don’t pay the penalty
- receiving a criminal record
- in serious cases, you could be fined up to £2,500 or even face up to 3 months in prison
- if your child is often late, the school can ask the council to issue a penalty notice to you as the parent or carer
See our RB Attendance Strategy (PDF 2.03MB) for more information.
Taking your child out of school for a holiday during term time
We strongly advise against disrupting your child’s schooling for a holiday during term time.
Government guidelines say absences during term time should not be allowed by the school except in the most exceptional of circumstances.
When might it be okay for your child to miss school
You must always follow the school’s procedures and give as much notice as possible if your child needs to be absent.
Some valid reasons for absence include:
- Illness: Contact the school on the first day. If your child is off for 5 days or more, the school may ask for medical evidence
- Medical Appointments: Book outside school hours if possible. Otherwise, let the school know in advance and provide proof
- Religious Festivals: Request permission in advance. Up to 3 days per year may be allowed
School penalty notices
Schools can ask for a penalty notice (fine) to be sent to parents or careers if a child has low attendance.
To challenge a fine you need to contact the Fixed Penalty Notice Team (FPN)
You’ll need your invoice reference number. This is a 12 digital number that can be found on your fixed penalty notice.
See our Redbridge Code of Conduct (PDF 999KB) for more information.
Bullying
Bullying is a deliberately hurtful act, which is repeated often, over a period of time.
Redbridge has a Combating Bullying Policy. This is a guide to help schools and organisations working with children develop their own anti-bullying policies.
If you are concerned about bullying and would like support and information please contact:
- Kidscape provides information for parents, professionals and young people helping to challenge bullying
- Bullying UK has advice for children and young people on tackling bullying
- Childline provides free and confidential telephone helpline for children and young people
- Samaritans is a confidential emotional support service available 24 hours a day
