Parents do not have the right to withdraw their child from any aspect of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum or any part of any subject which forms the National Curriculum. These curriculum aspects are the legal entitlement of every child. This includes biological aspects of animal growth and reproduction that are essential elements of National Curriculum Science.
Sex and Relationships Education
Parents do have the right to withdraw their child from any aspect of Religious Provision or the Sex and Relationships aspect of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education.
Religious Education
Parents have the right to choose whether or not to withdraw their child from RE without influence from the school. The Head of School will always seek to discuss this decision with parents, with a view to sharing the educational objectives and content of the RE syllabus. In this way, parents can make an informed decision. Where parents have requested that their child is withdrawn, their right must be respected.
- If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching. For example, a parent cannot ask for extra English or Maths work to be given to their child. No extra marking should take place or costs incurred. A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as another classroom. Pupils will usually remain on school premises.
Collective Worship
The parental right to withdraw a child from attending collective worship is freely exercisable and school will approve any such request. Parents are not obliged to state their reasons for seeking withdrawal.
Sex and Relationships aspects of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education
Parents are free to withdraw their children from Sex and Relationships aspects of the PSHE curriculum if they wish to do so. The only exceptions to this are the biological aspects of animal growth and reproduction that are essential elements of National Curriculum Science.
The Head of School will always seek to discuss this decision with parents, with a view to sharing the educational objectives and content of the Sex and Relationships syllabus. In this way, parents can make an informed decision. Where parents have requested that their child is withdrawn, their right must be respected, and where Sex and Relationships Education is integrated in the curriculum, the school will need to discuss the arrangements with the parents to explore how the child’s withdrawal can be best accommodated. If pupils are withdrawn from these aspects of PSHE, the school has a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Pupils will usually remain on school premises.
Managing the Right of Withdrawal
If pupils are withdrawn from RE, collective worship or parts of PSHE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Pupils will usually remain on school premises where it is feasible and appropriate.
Where a request for withdrawal is made, the school must comply and excuse the pupil until the request is rescinded.
(Section 71(3), School Standards and Framework Act 1998).
Remote Education Provision
Attendance is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience, including for their attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances.
Remote education will be considered in the following circumstances:
- school closures or restrictions on attendance, where school access for pupils is restricted;
- individual cases where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able to learn.
Remote learning can be set for all areas of the curriculum using our online platform Purple Mash. This will enable children to keep on track with their education.
