Any absence during term time is proven to be very detrimental, as your child misses important lessons, creating ‘gaps’ in their understanding of key concepts and they find it difficult to catch up, potentially causing a serious impact on their academic development and attainment. Teachers use valuable time helping returning pupils catch up, depriving those who really need them. Children also find it difficult to manage friendships and the class dynamic when they have missed key school events at the beginning or end of term.
1. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013, state that you do not have the right to take your child out of school for family holidays during term-time. The educational needs of your child take priority at all times.
2. The law only allows the school to grant permission for leave in the event of exceptional circumstances. Your request may be refused if it is not agreed that the reason for absence is exceptional. So please do not book any travel tickets without getting the school permission first.
3. Family weddings, anniversaries, cheaper airline tickets, family reunions and children’s birthdays are not generally considered to be exceptional circumstances.
4. Visiting a relative who is unwell is also not normally a valid reason to disrupt your child’s learning – If that relative requires the care and support of adults this should ideally be only while your child remains attending at school.
5. You must apply for permission in writing beforehand, using this form. Please attach any documentary evidence that you feel will support your request.
6. If you take your child out of school without permission, you may be referred to the local authority, who may then prosecute you under the terms of section 444 of the Education Act 1996, or as an alternative, issue each parent with a Penalty Notice Fine. Penalty Notice Fines are issued at the rate of £60 per parent per child if paid within 21 days; this rises to £120 if paid within days 21-28; if unpaid after 28 days, then the matter may then be referred to court.
7. If you need to travel at short notice, or are delayed on your return journey, then you will need to supply copies of all booking and travel documentation to show the dates that bookings were made, the original travel tickets as well as any evidence of rescheduled travel documents. All of this information is required by the school if they are to reconsider.
8. If you have any children on-roll at another school, then permission from that school must also be requested and agreed.
9. As well as the points in paragraphs 7 and 8 above, we consider exam and SATs dates, your child’s attendance and punctuality record, as well as their level of academic achievement or support needed around their learning in school.
10. If your request is approved and you leave earlier or return after the date agreed, the school reserves the right to record the entire period as unauthorised absence.
