Part I General
Chapter I The statutory system of education
Compulsory education
7 Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age.
The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—
a
to his age, ability and aptitude, and
b
to any special educational needs F3(in the case of a child who is in the area of a local authority in England) or additional learning needs (in the case of a child who is in the area of a local authority in Wales) he may have,
either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
8 Compulsory school age.
1
Subsections (2) and (3) apply to determine for the purposes of any enactment whether a person is of compulsory school age.
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A person begins to be of compulsory school age—
a
when he attains the age of five, if he attains that age on a prescribed day, and
b
otherwise at the beginning of the prescribed day next following his attaining that age.
3
A person ceases to be of compulsory school age at the end of the day which is the school leaving date for any calendar year—
a
if he attains the age of 16 after that day but before the beginning of the school year next following,
b
if he attains that age on that day, or
c
(unless paragraph (a) applies) if that day is the school leaving date next following his attaining that age.
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The Secretary of State may by order—
a
provide that such days in the year as are specified in the order shall be, for each calendar year, prescribed days for the purposes of subsection (2);
b
determine the day in any calendar year which is to be the school leaving date for that year.