Certificates for School Absences and Missing Exams

GPs are not contractually obliged to provide a sick note for pupils who are off sick from school, nor are they obliged to provide sickness certification for students who miss an exam or believe their performance was affected due to illness. 

The provision of medical certificates for students’ absences due to illness is not a core service, nor should it be necessary.  However, in declining to provide a certificate for this purpose, you might wish to consider any potential for safeguarding issues associated with such a request.

Ofqual confirmed to the GPC back in 2010 that medical certificates were not required to support applications for special consideration submitted by students who had missed exams. [PDF].  This letter may be drawn to the attention of anyone asking for a certificate for this purpose.

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Updated on Wednesday, 3 April 2024

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