the legalities of school attendance

[carnkie64]

My daughter is about to take her GCSEs and the head teacher is insisting that during this time the students have got to maintain a full attendance and timetable. This means that as they take their exams and that particular subject has then finished, they are ending up with numerous free periods and sometimes entire days with free periods but still expected to be ib school. Can someone please tell me if by law the headteacher can insist on this. I personally feel that it would be more beneficial for the students to remain at home and study rather than being in a lesson that has no purpose after completeing their exam.... Thanks for your help

[ummmm]

I had to stay in school for my GCSEs as I was a July baby and wasn't 16. My friends who were 16 didn't have to though...

It might have changed since then though...

[ChuckFickens]

If your daughter is under 16 then full time education is a legal requirement and as she is registered at a school (not home taught) then you are legally responsible for making sure she attends.

If she is over 16 there is no legal requirement for her to attend school, but if she doesn't go she may be breaking the school rules and may still get disciplined for it.

[China Doll]

I had to stay in school too when we had exams although the subject was finished. We would still have the teachers in the class but it would be a revision period for that particular subject.

[jackthehat]

I remember being baffled as to why I had to attend school for a full three weeks after my 'O' Levels had finished. I was staying on for 6th Form, but the old lessons had finished at the point I sat my exams......and none of the teachers was going to embark on the new 'A' level syllabus for a mere 3 weeks, especially as it wasn't clear who had passed or failed.........It must have made sense to someone.

[carnkie64]

thank you all for your answers. You have all sort of confirmed my thoughts really. Oh well time to upset a very a very 'hoping' student.

[mrs_overall]

Chuck's answer is wrong - age has nothing to do with it. The official leaving date for year 11's is the last day of June following their 16th birthday.

My daughter is doing her GCSE's and I would rather her be at school between exams as she will revise if she is there.....and won't do as much if she is home

[mccfluff]

we had 'study' leave from may i think it was and only had to ocme in for the exams, in hindsight i might of done better if we were made to go to school. i got a great tan that year :-)

[cazzz1975]

the government have raised the leaving age to 18 now, it wont affect yout daughter who I think personally would be more motivated at school to revise as home is filled with much temptation.

I think the leaving age changed for children born in 1996 onwards

[ummmm]

My eldest son was born in 96 and he gets to leave at 16. Poor Owen has to stay on till 18...

[mrs_overall]

Another thing to consider if she bunks off - at some point she will require a reference from her school and her attendance stats will form part of that reference

[cazzz1975]

he must have been born on the early side, when my daughter started they told her that she has to leave at 18, her birthday is in november so she was one of the late ones :o

[carnkie64]

thanks again to you all. She is disappointed to say the least but understands the reasons so is just going to shut up and put up. I had no worries though about her studying at home because she is very very motivated and certainly wants to do the right thing..thanks again