The Education Reform(Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Compulsory school age

156.  For Article 46 of the principal Order there shall be substituted the following Articles—

“Compulsory school age

46.— (1) Subject to the following provisions of this Article, in the Education Orders the expression “compulsory school age” means any age between four years and sixteen years and accordingly a person shall be of compulsory school age if he has attained the age of four years and has not attained the age of sixteen years.

(2) Where a person attains the age of four years—

(a) on any date occurring in the period beginning on (and including) 1st September in any year and ending on (and including) 1st July in the following year, he shall be deemed not to have attained the lower limit of compulsory school age until 1st August in that following year;

(b) on any date occurring in the period beginning on (and including) 2nd July in any year and ending on (and including) 31st August in the same year, he shall be deemed not to have attained the lower limit of compulsory school age until 1st August in the following year.

(3) Where a person attains the age of sixteen years—

(a) on any date occurring in the period beginning on (and including) 1st September in any year and ending on (and including) 1st July in the following year, he shall be deemed not to have attained the upper limit of compulsory school age until, or as the case may be, deemed to have attained that upper limit on 30th June in that following year or such other date as the Department may, by order subject to affirmative resolution, prescribe;

(b) on any date occurring in the period beginning on (and including) 2nd July in any year and ending on (and including) 31st August in the same year, he shall be deemed not to have attained the upper limit of compulsory school age until 30th June in the following year or such other date as the Department may, by order subject to affirmative resolution, prescribe.

Commencement of secondary education

46A.   Unless the Department otherwise directs in a particular case, a child shall commence secondary education—

(a) where he attains the age of eleven years on a date occurring in the period beginning on (and including) 1st September in any year and ending on (and including) 1st July in the following year, on 1st August in that following year;

(b) where he attains that age on a date occurring in the period beginning on (and including) 2nd July in any year and ending on (and including) 31st August in the same year, on 1st August in the following year.”.