Pupils should not be given approval to take time off school for protests, new statutory attendance guidance that comes into force from August sets out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The clarity comes after education secretary Gillian Keegan intervened<\/a> over pupils going on pro-Palestine rallies, declaring \u201cmissing school for activism is unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Previously, lawyers said such decisions<\/a> were down to headteachers, who could technically choose to allow absence under the \u201cexceptional circumstances\u201d exemption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But new statutory \u2018Working together to improve school attendance\u2019 guidance, published this morning <\/a>and which will take hold in August, states: \u201cLeave of absence should not be granted for a pupil to take part in protest activity during school hours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The current attendance guidance does not contain anything relating to the word \u2018protest\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keegan said she was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d in November after reports youngsters had missed class to join marches supporting Palestine, amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Left-wing group Stop the War Coalition had published guidance online about \u201chow to organise a school strike\u201d, alongside a template absence letter to send to headteachers. But that webpage no longer exists.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pupils also joined a mass protest in 2019 over climate change. The government later warned that schools should not encourage pupils to take part in<\/a> such protests, as part of its draft sustainability strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n