Education (Scotland) Act 1980

Failure of parents to provide education for their children

35 Failure by parent to secure regular attendance by his child at a public school

(1) Where a child of school age who has attended a public school on one or more occasions fails without reasonable excuse to attend regularly at the said school, then, unless the education authority have consented to the withdrawal of the child from the school (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), his parent shall be guilty of an offence against this section.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a child who has been required to discontinue for any period his attendance at a school on account of his parent's refusal or failure to comply with the rules, regulations or disciplinary requirements of the school, shall, unless the court otherwise determines, be deemed to have failed without reasonable excuse to attend regularly at the school.

36 Power of education authority in relation to irregular attendance of child at a public school

(1) It shall be the duty of the education authority if they consider that a parent has committed an offence against section 35 of this Act in respect of a child resident in their area, to serve a notice on the parent requiring him, within such time as may be specified in the notice (not being less than forty-eight hours or more than seven days from the service thereof) to appear (with or without the child) before the authority and explain the reason for the absence of the child from school. If the parent fails to satisfy the authority that he had a reasonable excuse, the authority may instruct that he be prosecuted forthwith under section 43 of this Act, or may warn the parent and postpone for a period not exceeding six weeks a decision as to whether to prosecute.

(2) Where an education authority in the exercise of the powers conferred upon them by subsection (1) above postpone a decision as to whether to prosecute a parent, they may, if the child is still of school age, make an attendance order in respect of the child in accordance with the provisions of section 38 of this Act requiring the parent to cause the child to attend the public school which he has been attending, or, if the child has changed his residence, a school attended by children residing in the same neighbourhood as the child.

(3) Without prejudice to the institution of proceedings for an offence against section 35 of this Act or the exercise of the power conferred by section 44(1) of this Act, where a child of school age has failed to attend a public school regularly, the education authority may refer the child to the reporter of the appropriate local authority; and in this subsection " local authority" has the same meaning as in the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

37 Power of education authority where not satisfied that parent is providing efficient education for his child

(1) Where a child of school age has not attended a public school in the area in which his parent is residing, or has attended such a school and has been withdrawn therefrom with the consent of, or excluded by, the education authority, then, if the authority are not satisfied that the parent is providing efficient education for him suitable to his age, ability and aptitude, it shall be the duty of the authority to serve a notice on the parent requiring him within such time as may be specified in the notice (not being less than seven or more than fourteen days from the service thereof) either—

(a) to appear (with or without the child) before the authority and give such information as the authority may require regarding the means, if any, he has adopted for providing education, or

(b) in the option of the parent, to give such information to the authority in writing.

(2) If a parent on whom a notice has been served in pursuance of subsection (1) above fails to satisfy the authority that he is providing efficient education for the child suitable to his age, ability and aptitude or that there is reasonable excuse for his failure to do so, the authority shall make an attendance order in respect of the child in accordance with the provisions of section 38 of this Act.