Giving Notice About Withdrawing Your Child from School

A pupil may withdraw permanently or temporarily from a given school. Regardless of the reason, and even if you have already verbally alerted a school to your situation, it is imperative that you give notice of a withdrawal to the relevant school authorities. A formal letter giving notice about withdrawing your child from school is an appropriate method of letting your child's school know of your plans.

Content of a Letter Giving Notice About Withdrawing Your Child From School

When you write a letter in order to give a school notice that your child will be withdrawing you should give details of your child (name, form, relevant teacher), why and when this withdrawal will occur, as well as if the withdrawal will be permanent or temporary. Reasons for a permanent withdrawal would be if you are moving house, changing schools in the area, if your child is coping with a terminal illness, if your child is undertaking exceptional employment and/or if your child is choosing to leave school once (s)he is of legal age. Reasons for a temporary withdrawal might include family travel, battling an illness or for religious reasons. Temporary withdrawals are often referred to as leaves of absence. In your letter, make clear whether you are requesting permission for a leave of absence or if you are asking that your child be deleted from the school's admissions register in accordance with current legislation such as The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006.

Format of a Letter Giving Notice About Withdrawing Your Child From School

Giving notice about withdrawing your child from school is a formal matter, and as such your letter advising of this should be formatted as formal correspondence. Include your name and mailing address, the date on which you are writing, as well as the name and mailing address of a relevant school authority. Address the recipient with a formal salutation such as "Dear," and close your letter formally with "Yours sincerely," followed by your signature. Left align your letter and if at all possible print it using a readable font such as Times New Roman. If you are enclosing other documents relevant to your child's withdrawal from school either mention these documents in the body of your letter or simply state the number of enclosures underneath your signature by printing "Enclosures (number of enclosures)". Post or hand deliver a letter giving notice withdrawing your child from school. Email is not usually appropriate for such a communication.

Example of a Letter Giving Notice About Withdrawing Your Child From School

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Parents
Mailing Address

Date

Mr. Harold Headmaster
School Name
School Mailing Address

Dear Mr. Headmaster,

We are writing to inform you that our daughter, Marie, currently a pupil in form 3b with Ms. Teacher, will be withdrawing from [School Name] as of 1 March, 2010.

Our family is moving home and we will no longer be living in an area appropriate for Marie to attend [School Name]. We have included all relevant forms related to Marie withdrawing from [School Name].

We would ask that you please acknowledge receipt of this letter in writing and confirm that Marie's name will be deleted from the school's admissions register as of 1 March, 2010.

Yours sincerely,

----------------------
Peter and Patty Parents

Enclosures (3)

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