Petition · Department for Education
Stop medical appointments counting against school attendance
Closed
2,171 signatures
What the petition asks
We believe children shouldn’t be marked down as absent for hospital or GP appointments. These are authorised absences but still lower attendance records. We urge the Government to create a separate code so medical care doesn’t impact students’ attendance records.
At the moment, hospital and GP appointments during school hours count as authorised absences, but they still lower a child’s attendance record. We believe this is unfair on children with health conditions or disabilities who need regular care. We want the Government to bring in a separate attendance code so medical appointments don’t reduce attendance percentages or make families look like they aren’t supporting education.
Timeline
| 25 Sep 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
2,171
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Education
Opened
25 Sep 2025
Closed
25 Mar 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 31 Jul 2026.