School leaving date
277Compulsory school age
(1)Subsections (2) and (3) below apply to determine for the purposes of any enactment whether a person is of compulsory school age.
(2)A person begins to be of compulsory school age when he attains the age of five years.
(3)A person ceases to be of compulsory school age at the end of the day which is the school leaving date for any calendar year if—
(a)he attains the age of sixteen years after that day but before the beginning of the school year next following,
(b)he attains that age on that day, or
(c)subject to paragraph (a) above, if that day is the school leaving date next following his attaining that age.
(4)The Secretary of State may by order determine the day in any calendar year which is to be the school leaving date for that year.