What are my rights when my child starts school, or moves to secondary school?

As we race through the school summer holidays, many children and parents are facing not just a new school term in September but a new school. Some are just starting out on their school journey, others are heading to secondary school. So as a parent with Parental Responsibility (PR), where do you stand in respects of choosing the school and being involved with your child’s education going forward.

Any parent with PR has a legal right to be involved in major educational decisions, directly access school records and reports, and share equal authority regarding your child's schooling. According the Government website, “A person with parental responsibility can make decisions about the child's upbringing and is entitled to information about the child... they can give consent to their medical treatment and make decisions about their education.”

That is not always easy if as parents you are separated, and worse still a parent is struggling to maintain contact with their child.

If as parents you are unable to communicate, or decisions have been made about schools that you were not involved in or you are being prevented from any reasonable and meaningful information from your child’s school you may have to consider making an application to Court to rectify this.

Schools, though, cannot deny a parent with PR information about their child unless there is a Court Order in place preventing this.

We have a comprehensive information leaflet for parents about how to deal with schools and your child’s medical practice if issues arise. 

Please email office@thecustodycoach.co.uk for a copy of those leaflets.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Below is a summary of your Parental Rights and Responsibilities for schools, both primary and secondary.

Key Educational Rights

School Choice: Major decisions, like choosing or changing the school, must be discussed and agreed upon jointly with anyone else who holds PR. One parent cannot unilaterally pick or alter a school choice without consent or a court order.

Direct Access to Information: You have the legal authority to contact the school directly and request copies of school reports, notices, and newsletters. You do not need the mother's permission to ask the school for your child’s educational updates.

Attendance and Medical Consent: Authorised absence requests and non-routine medical decisions or emergency treatments tied to the school day require cooperative communication if both hold PR.

Day-to-Day vs. Major Decisions

Daily Routines: Minor, day-to-day choices made while the child is in your care (such as what they eat or uniform upkeep for that day) do not require mutual consent.

Disagreements: If co-parents disagree fundamentally on school applications or registration details, local authorities typically pause or refuse processing until an agreement or formal mediation/court resolution occurs.