My child’s school says it can’t authorise her absence due to illness because I haven’t been able to provide a letter from a Consultant. Can it do this?

There’s no rule that evidence from a consultant must be provided for absence due to illness to be authorised. In fact, in most cases medical evidence isn’t required.

The statutory guidance Working together to improve school attendance (applicable from 19 August 2024) says that schools are not expected to routinely request that parents provide medical evidence to support illness absences. In the majority of cases a parent’s notification that their child is too ill to attend school will be that evidence and can be accepted without question or concern. Only where the school has genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity of the illness should medical evidence be requested to support the absence (paragraph 365).

This guidance goes on to say that where medical evidence is deemed necessary, schools should not be rigid about the form of evidence requested and should speak to the family about what evidence is available. Schools should be mindful that requesting additional medical evidence unnecessarily places pressure on health professionals, their staff and their appointment system, particularly if the illness is one that does not require treatment by a health professional. Where a parent cannot provide evidence in the form requested but can provide other evidence, schools should take this into account. Where a parent cannot provide any written evidence the school should have a conversation with the parent and pupil, if appropriate, which may in itself serve as the necessary evidence to record the absence (paragraph 366).

It may help to refer your child’s school to this guidance and to point out that because it is “statutory” the school must have regard to it.