This article will be of interest to senior leaders and attendance leads

Schools are reminded of the law on accurately coding absences due to study leave and religious observance in the school register.

Absences for religious observance must be recorded using Code R. If a religious body sets apart a single day for observance, only one day can be recorded with this code. Any additional days of absence would require families to apply for a leave of absence, which can be granted in exceptional circumstances at a school's discretion.

For more detail, including approaches to minimise impact of religious observances on attendance and attainment, refer to Chapter 8 of the Working Together to Improve School Attendance guidance.