Skip to main content

School attendance guidance and updates.

Year 11 leavers - attendance codes

The Department for Education (DfE) have made no change to the statutory school age leaving date for Year 11 pupils. Schools cannot remove Year 11 pupils from roll prior to the last Friday in June unless the reason meets the prescribed grounds as per the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006.

Page 65 of guidance issued from the DfE makes it clear that there is an expectation for Year 11 students to receive tuition/support until the last Friday in June. This can be in school or online and this work, with Year 11 pupils, should cover transition to post 16 options.

The DfE have indicated that the use of the S code this year may not be applicable as there is no requirement for pupils to undertake independent study leave. Where headteachers have shared with parents that Year 11 pupils are not expected in school prior to the last Friday in June this absence should be authorised by the headteacher using the absence code ‘C’.

Also see