What is PR (Parental Responsibility)?

A mother automatically has parental responsibility for a child from birth.

A father has parental responsibility if he is married to the child’s mother or is listed on a child’s birth certificate.

Unmarried partners, who are not listed on a child’s birth certificate, can obtain parental responsibility by applying for a parental responsibility order from the courts.

Same-sex partners will both have parental responsibility if they were civil partners at the time of the treatment, e.g. donor insemination or fertility treatment.  For same-sex partners who aren’t civil partners, the second parent can obtain parental responsibility by either applying for parental responsibility if a parental agreement was made, or becoming a civil partner of the other parent and making a parental responsibility agreement or jointly registering the birth.

Entitlements of Non-Resident Parents with PR

Non-resident parents are parents who are listed on a child’s birth certificate, but whose child(ren) do not reside with them on a full-time basis.  Non-resident parents still have the following parental rights:

  • To attend parents’ meetings.
  • To express a preference when choosing a school.
  • To stand for election or vote as a parent governor.
  • To be notified of their right to appeal against a child’s exclusion.
  • To receive information on the child’s education.  This includes copies of reports, photograph orders, letters re. school shows/performances/assemblies, letters re. whole school events e.g. summer fair.  (Please note that Letters and Newsletters are only available on our Academy App, run by Parentapps Connect.  Non-resident parents should speak to the Academy Office to request access to the app.)
  • To withdraw the child from religious education and collective worship and sex education.
  • To initiate or be involved in the procedure for obtaining an Education Health and Care Plan for the child.

Any dispute between persons sharing these rights would need to be resolved between those involved and not by the Academy.

What to do if you are a Non-Resident Parent

If you are a non-resident parent, and you would like to be kept informed, please contact the Academy Office to request that your details are added to the Non-Resident Parents list.

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