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Holidays in Term Time

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/Governors the discretion to consider authorising a leave of absence in term time only in “exceptional circumstances”.

 

You may consider that a holiday is educational but your child will still miss out on the teaching that their peers will receive whilst he/she 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. This poses a potential risk of under achievement for your child.

 

If you wish to request a leave of absence and it is not considered to be an exceptional circumstance, and you nevertheless take your child out of school, this will be recorded as unauthorised leave.

 

Parents should understand that if the absence request is unauthorised the Local Authority may be notified of the absence taken and a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued. A FPN is issued to each parent for each child taken out of school and this is a fine of £80 if paid within 21 days, increasing to £160 if paid within 28 days.

If a second FPN is issued for the same child with three years, the amount will be £160.

Parents should also understand that failure to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice may result in further actions, such as a parenting order or prosecution.

 

If you would like to request absence from school during term time, please use the button below to access the form and return it to school at least two weeks in advance.