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.