Health and your child's education
Visit GOV.UK for information and guidance on illness and your child's education.
If your child is too unwell to attend school
When a child is unable to attend school due to medical reasons normally this can be managed between the school and the parent. Your school should have an attendance policy and you can discuss this with the school directly.
Absence beyond 15 school days
If your child is too unwell to attend school, and it's likely to be longer than 15 school days, but they are still well enough to receive an education, then we may consider alternative education arrangements to best support your child. Please ask your school to make a medical referral to our Education Access Team for support.
To help us decide the best way to support your child the school may ask you to provide further information from the medical team who support your child. However, the school must not delay submitting a referral just because they have not received information from other agencies or medical teams.
What is a reduced timetable?
In very exceptional circumstances there may be a need for a temporary part-time timetable to meet a pupil’s individual needs. For example, where a medical condition prevents a pupil from attending full-time education and a part-time timetable is considered as part of a re-integration package. A part-time timetable must not be treated as a long-term solution.
The parent or carer of the child or young person must agree to the reduced timetable and there should be clear reviews dates and supportive plans in place to ensure the pupil returns to full time learning as soon as possible.
We ask all Essex schools to share the details of their pupils on a reduced timetable so that they have oversight and can be ready to discuss the pupil’s education in more detail with the school if the reduced timetable has been in place for an extended period.
If your child attends a school in another local authority area, we may not always be aware that the school have placed your child on a reduced timetable.
How to contact us
If you need to contact us about:
Medical referral - email: medical@essex.gov.uk
Reduced timetable - email: provision@essex.gov.uk
Telephone: 03330 322534
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, Friday, 9am to 4.30pm