The school is under no obligation to grant any authorised absence during term time. All applications should be made through the official form and will be individually assessed on merit. The governing body has given authority to the headteacher to grant a maximum of 10 days (per school year) for exceptional circumstances only.
It is the school’s policy not to authorise any absence in the following circumstances:
- during the first term of Reception or Year 3
- during Year 2 and Year 6 SATs,
- during the first two weeks of the Autumn Term
- during the first week of the Spring and Summer Terms
The headteacher will use the following criteria to assess an application for absence:
- the child’s age
- the child’s previous attendance history
- the child’s stage of education
- the nature of the absence (an exceptional circumstance)
An annual family holiday is not an exceptional circumstance. If a parent is unable to take time off work during the school holidays they should provide a letter from their employer stating this.
Please be aware that authorised absence cannot be granted retrospectively and can only be authorised by the school that the child is attending when the holiday is to take place.
Taking an unauthorised holiday could result in each parent receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice costing £60 for each child (i.e. two parents taking their two children on holiday could receive a Fixed Penalty Notice of £240).
Parents/carers should never simply discount the amount of a penalty notice from the cost of a cheaper holiday, because this is a criminal offence and when doing so they are always risking prosecution.
