Home education guidance

Footnotes

1 Leaving age: if a child becomes 16 between 1 March and 30 September, compulsory education ends on 31 May between those two dates; if a child becomes 16 between 1 October and 28/29 February compulsory education ends the day before the Christmas holidays between those two dates. Therefore it is possible for a child to have attained the age of 16 and still be of compulsory school age, and consequently require consent to withdraw from school.

2 Since the advent of the Scottish Parliament references to the Secretary of State have been replaced by Scottish Ministers

3 The UNCRC has not been directly incorporated into Scots law and its provisions are not directly enforceable. It can, however, be used as an interpretative tool by the courts where a provision in Scots law is ambiguous. The Convention is indicative of international standards and it is the policy of the Scottish Government to reflect the provisions of the Convention wherever possible in the development of policy and legislation.

4 Public school means any school under the management of a local authority.