10 day absence

The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 requires schools to inform the local authority of any pupils who are regularly absent from school (where absences amount to more than 10 or more days, either consecutively or irregularly and have been unauthorised). Schools are also under a safeguarding duty, under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to investigate any unexplained absences. This should be no less frequently than once per calendar month.

The Local Authority has designed a form to assist schools to comply with their responsibilities. When we receive this form, you may receive a follow up call from a Local Authority Attendance Officer if further action is required.

We have reviewed the 10-Day Absence reporting requirement following feedback from schools and have replaced the previous initial/follow up forms with one form.

Please provide as much information as possible on the form and do not send C.POMs or similar documentation as a chronology. This will not be accepted, and the form will be returned to you for re-submitting with the relevant facts only.