From 19 August 2024, all schools in England have a statutory duty to make attendance and sickness returns to the local authority in which they are located in accordance with The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024, Regulation 13(7) and 13(9).
Schools must make a return under Regulation 13(9) where it has reasonable grounds to believe a pupil of compulsory school age (except those who are boarders). Schools should use this form to notify the Local Authority when a pupil:
- Will be unable to attend for at least 15 consecutive school days (30 school sessions) because of sickness, or:
- Will be, or will have been, unable to attend because of sickness for a total of at least 15 school days (30 school sessions) during the school year, whether consecutive or not.
Guidance sickness return
As stated in the DFE Working together to improve school attendance guidance, the Department for Education (DfE) requires schools to notify the local authority when a pupil has been absent for 15 consecutive or cumulative school days due to illness. Schools are required to provide the Local Authority with the full name and address of all pupils of compulsory school age who have been recorded with code I (illness) and who the school has reasonable grounds to believe will miss 15 days consecutively or cumulatively because of sickness.
Only one sickness return is required for a continuous period of sickness in a school year. This is to help the school and local authority to agree any provision needed to ensure continuity of education for pupils who cannot attend because of health needs, in line with the statutory guidance on arranging education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs.
Working together to improve school attendance (applies from 19 August 2024)
Section 19
Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 states: "Each local authority in England shall make arrangements for the provision of suitable education at school or otherwise than at school for those children of compulsory school age who, by reason of illness, exclusion from school or otherwise, may not for any period receive suitable education unless such arrangements are made for them". Please note that completion of this form for a pupil does not mean they are automatically eligible for education to be arranged by the local authority due to sickness, and each pupil’s case will be examined on an individual basis.
