Request for Absence in Term Time – Information for Parents
School attendance regulations changed on 1st September 2013 under Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 which amends the existing 2006 regulations.
Under current government legislation, the school is unable to allow absence in term for the purpose of a holiday under any circumstances. The regulations do allow the school to continue to authorise absence in “exceptional circumstances”. Please find below a list of examples of allowable absences and those which will now be classed as unauthorised absences.
Allowed absence
Sickness/illness
Emergency and planned medical appointments (Parents are requested to make routine appointments outside school hours)
Hospital scheduled appointments /treatment
Day/s for specific religious observance
School is closed due to unforeseen circumstances
Allowed absence in exceptional circumstances (at the discretion of the headteacher and in advance of the event)
Family bereavement or close friend bereavement
Other compassionate grounds
Family wedding/civil partnership taking part in the school day–not traveling to a wedding unless it is abroad. We can only authorise a maximum of three days for trips abroad.
Family crisis
Examinations off-site
Educational Opportunity – Sport & Performance
Attendance at an event at the request of a public organisation
Visit a new school
Family re-location visit
Absences not allowed under any circumstances
Family holiday no matter what length
Family trips
Leaving school early to travel to an event
All requests for absence due to exceptional circumstances must be made by completing the ‘Request for Absence’ form which can be downloaded from our school website. The headteacher will then review each request and decide if it meets the criteria for authorisation. Parents should keep their copy of the authorisation in case they are required to prove their child has authorised absence during term time.
Please be aware that any holiday in term time will be treated as unauthorised and could result in a fine of £60 per child, per parent, being issued by the Council. For absence relating to an illness of five days or more, schools may request a doctor’s note to confirm the absence.
We hope that parents will understand that schools are bound by government legislation and make every effort to comply with the attendance regulations.
