Information from the Department for Education
From 8 March all children and students should return to school and attendance will be mandatory once again from this date.
Mandatory attendance means that it is your legal duty as a parent to send your child (if they are of compulsory school age) to school regularly if they are registered at one.
Local authorities and schools have a range of legal powers to enforce attendance if a child or young person misses school without a valid reason.
We know some parents will be feeling anxious about their children returning to school or college. If you have concerns about your child attending, you should discuss these with your school or college. They should be able to explain ways they are changing things to reduce risks.
School is open during this time to vulnerable children and children of key workers only. All other children will received remote education as outlined in the school's Remote Education Policy which can be found in the our Policies Section.
In March, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak was increasing, we made clear no parent would be penalised or sanctioned for their child’s non-attendance at school.
Now the circumstances have changed and it is vital for all children to return to school to minimise as far as possible the longer-term impact of the pandemic on children’s education, wellbeing and wider development.
Missing out on more time in the classroom risks pupils falling further behind. Those with higher overall absence tend to achieve less well in both primary and secondary school. School attendance will therefore be mandatory again from the beginning of the autumn term. This means from that point, the usual rules on school attendance will apply, including:
We understand that you and your children may have concerns and may be reluctant or anxious about returning.
As we reopen, our first priority will be to support our children with this and our teaching and learning will initially be to listen to, discuss and overcome these concerns. The more our children understand how they can keep themselves and others safe, the better it will be for everyone in our school community. Being back at school will help our children understand how to keep safe in school and in wider public places.