Illness and your child’s education

What happens if your child's to ill to go to school, the education your child will get and guidance for parents from GOV.UK.

By law, if your child has a medical or mental health condition and cannot go to school, we must support you in giving them an education. In Haringey we provide this education through the Haringey Learning Partnership. 

What your child's school must do 

Your child's school is responsible for providing your child's education. See GOV.UK for information on the responsibilities of your child’s school

The school has a policy on educating children with health needs, which you can ask for.  

The school will tell us if your child has been, or will be, away from school for more than 15 school days. If the school needs support to provide an education, they’ll let the Haringey Alternative Provision and Intervention Panel know. The school will include information about your child’s specific needs and circumstances. 

The Panel meets each week and will agree on support for your child. The school works with the Learning Partnership on a programme of education for your child. 

The education 

The education could include: 

  • access to small, supported teaching groups 
  • virtual learning (if your child is at key stage 3 and key stage 4) 
  • use of robot that goes to school instead of your child, so they have access to their usual lessons 
  • 1:1 teaching in your home or the community 
  • access to teaching and learning throughout a hospital stay 

Guidance for parents 

See guidance on GOV.UK on education for children with health needs who cannot attend school.