Overview
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 provides that, the parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause them to receive an efficient, suitable, full-time education.
- A full-time education is one that should occupy a significant proportion of a child’s life. Children attending school normally have about 5 hours tuition a day for 190 days a year which has been spread over 38 weeks.
- An efficient education must achieve what it sets out to achieve.
- A suitable education is one that is age-appropriate, will enable the child to make progress according to their level of ability and considers any specific aptitudes i.e. what they are naturally good at.
A local authority has a duty to make arrangements to enable it to identify children in its area not receiving a suitable education.
If the parents fail to satisfy the local authority that their child is receiving a suitable education, and the local authority considers that it is expedient that they should attend school, then the local authority has a legal obligation to serve the parents with a school attendance order (SAO). This will name a specific school and require the parent to register their child at that school.
Compulsory school age
A child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday – whichever comes first. If a child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates, then they reach compulsory school age on that date.
For example, if a child reaches compulsory school age on 31 March, they must start full-time education at the beginning of the next term (summer term that year). Children must stay in full-time education until they reach school leaving age.
Your child can leave school on the last Friday in June if they’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.