Review & amend school attendance guidance on the “S” code & introduce a new code
We urge the Government to review & amend the S code which grants students study leave for exams, so that it is excluded from negatively affecting attendance rates. We also urge the Government to introduce a clear code (e.g. L – Left or C – Completed Education) that won't affect attendance statistics
Signatures
27
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 27/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 27/100,000
- 25 JAN 2026Petition closedFinal total: 27 signatures
- 25 JUL 2025Petition opened for signatures
Background
We feel by not marking children’s attendance as “Left” or having attendance concluded, they are marked with the “S” code, indicating an absence due to study leave. This S code counts as an absence**, which can dramatically affect the student’s overall attendance percentage. This could negatively affect how parents view their child’s record, and in some cases, may impact students.