Request for a leave of absence during term time

Parents and carers should be aware that the law does not grant parents an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time. The Department for Education allows a Headteacher the discretion to consider authorising a leave of absence in term time only in “exceptional circumstances”.

You may consider that a holiday will be educational, but your child will still miss out on the teaching and learning that their peers will receive whilst your child is away. Children returning from a leave of absence during term time are also unprepared for the lessons which build on the teaching they have missed and arrangements need to be made for individual children to catch up on missed work. Disruption to the continuity of teaching and learning is something we all have a responsibility to avoid.

If requesting a leave of absence, you will need to complete the ‘Request for Leave of Absence During Term Time’ form that can be found on our website, setting out the reasons for your request. If the leave of absence is not considered to be an exceptional circumstance, it will not be agreed. If you nevertheless take your child out of school for the leave of absence, this will be recorded as unauthorised leave.

In the case of an unauthorised leave of absence, the Headteacher may request that the Local Authority issue a Fixed Penalty Notice without further warning to the parent/carer. Please note that such a penalty is issued to each parent for each child taken out of school. A Penalty Notice is a fine of £80, which may be reduced on the first occasion if paid within the first 28 days. If a second penalty is issued regarding the same child in a rolling 3-year period £160 will be charged. If a further offence in the 3-year period, the local authority will consider its options, which could include prosecution.

All leave of absence requests should be completed on the attached form by the parent with whom the child ordinarily resides. This should be returned to the school at least seven days before the start of the holiday. All requests must be made prior to the leave being taken. Leave cannot be authorised retrospectively. The schools decision is final whether an absence is classed as exceptional. 

I hope you will support our efforts to maintain good levels of attendance and attainment.

Mr Morgan

Headteacher