All children between the ages of five and sixteen are required by law to receive an education, and it is the duty of parents and carers to ensure that they are supported to do so.
By law, parents must ask permission for their child/ren to miss school. If the child is absent from school for a holiday, parents risk being issued with a penalty notice, especially if attendance is already poor prior to the holiday being taken.
Absence in term-time will only be authorised if parents or carers make a request to the school in advance on an application for exceptional leave form, and can show that there are exceptional circumstances as to why the leave has to be during school time. The cost, convenience or availability of a holiday cannot be considered to be an exceptional circumstance.
If an absence has not been authorised by the headteacher and the child is absent from school, this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence in the class register.
Click here for a copy of the ‘application for exceptional leave during term time’ form.
