The T Code

When can you use the T Code?

1. Traveller community: Your child must be a member of a Traveller community. This includes:
   • Irish and Scottish Travellers
   • English and Welsh Gypsies
   • Roma
   • Showmen
   • Circus people
   • Bargees
   • New Travellers
2. School attendance: Your child must have attended at least 200 school sessions in the past 12 months if they are over six years old. (One school day has two sessions.)
3. Travelling for work: You must be travelling for work and agree with the school beforehand. This means moving from place to place for your job. You can also choose dual registration, meaning your child can attend a different school while travelling and still keep their place at their main school (the one they have attended for the last 18 months).
4. You do not need to be of no fixed abode/travelling permanently: Some of the wording of the 2024 guidance has caused confusion. The Department for Education have confirmed that the 'mobile child' only needs to be of no fixed abode whilst the parent is trading/working.

The definition of ‘no fixed abode’ under the new guidance means that someone either does not have a settled place where they can live full-time, or they have a place where they can live full-time but they spend substantial periods of time not living there.

A mobile child could be a child whose family travels all year round as part of their trade or business and has no permanent address at all, but it also includes a child who does have a fixed place to live (like a house), but does not live there for a substantial part of the year, if their parent is engaged in a trade or business that requires them to travel from place to place.

If the child is absent from school while travelling with that parent, then code T applies.

Schools and local authorities must apply this definition when considering the provisions for a mobile child in the 1996 Act, the 2024 Regulations and the accompanying statutory guidance. local authorities may therefore need to update their current documentation or guidance for schools and/ or parents.

• Other reasons: You cannot use the T Code to take your child out of school for events like weddings or funerals. Different codes are needed for these absences.
• Non-parent travel: The T Code cannot be used if someone other than the child’s parents is taking them travelling.

• Speak to the school: Tell the school the dates you are travelling for work as early as possible.
• Head teacher's decision: The head teacher decides if the T Code can be used.
• Attendance expectation: Traveller children are still expected to attend 380 sessions each school year.
• Fines for unauthorised absence: You can be fined £80 (rising to £160 if not paid within 21 days) if your child misses school without permission.
• Authorised absence: If the T Code is used correctly, it counts as an authorised absence, which will affect attendance but should not result in a fine.

• Send the school a letter: If you told the school in advance that you were travelling for work, you can use our template letter here.

If you are having difficulties, please contact the Friends, Families and Travellers helpline on 01273 234 777. We are open:

• Monday to Friday
• From 10.00am to 4.30pm
• Closed on Bank Holidays