Legally, all children aged between five and 16 must receive a full-time education. As a parent, you are responsible for making sure this happens. You should register your child at a school or make arrangements for alternative education, such as home schooling.
Good behaviour and attendance are vital if children are to make the most of their educational opportunities.
If you are having problems making sure that your child goes to school, you should talk directly to staff at the school. Each school has an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) who can give you advice and support.
You can also talk to someone in the Education Welfare Service (below). They can provide specialist help in improving attendance and behaviour at school.
What to do if your child cannot go to school because they are ill, and how they can be taught out of school.
How you can educate your child out of school, and where to get advice about home schooling.
The Schools' Learning Gateway gives you easy access to live school information and learning resources online. You can see daily attendance records, and check that your child has arrived safely at school and attended lessons.
Help and support for young people being bullied, as well as advice for parents.
How we are trying to reduce truancy and absences in our schools and information about parenting orders and penalty notices.
The guidelines a school should follow when a child is given a detention.
If you believe a child is missing from education or is out of school, use this form to report your concern.
Understanding what fixed term and permanent exclusion mean and how the exclusion process works.
If you are having problems getting your child to attend school, the Education Welfare Service can help.
East Sussex County Council