Leave of Absence
As a parent or carer you are strongly urged to avoid leave of absence from school during term time. Should this be absolutely unavoidable, you should complete this form and return it to the School Office prior to the absence.
The Government implemented new legislation that came into effect from September 2013 which means that schools may only authorise leave of absence in exceptional circumstances.
A parent or carer does not have any right to leave of absence during term time and, if your request is refused, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. This could result in legal action being taken or a Penalty Notice being issued by the Local Authority.
If a pupil takes unauthorised term-time leave for 10 consecutive sessions or more (generally 5 days) they will be subject to a Penalty Notice. The fine for a penalty notice is £80 per child, per parent/carer, increasing to £160 if not paid after 21 days but within 28 days for pupils who are of statutory school age. If a penalty notice remains unpaid, parents may be the subject of court proceedings for failing to ensure the regular school attendance of their child and this could result in a fine of up to £2,500 and/or a term of imprisonment of up to 3 months per parent.
For second offences of unauthorised term-time leave (10 consecutive sessions or more) within a three-year rolling period, the fine is a flat £160 per parent, per child. For the third offence in a three-year rolling period, the referral will be automatically considered for prosecution in relation to Section 444 Education Act 1996.
Should leave of absence be taken after permission has been withheld, then this will be recorded as unauthorised absence. This will appear both in the school register and in your child’s report. Persistent unauthorised absence may result in the involvement of the Local Authority Attendance Officer and possible legal proceedings.
If 3 or more term time leave Penalty Notices have been issued over a 3 year period then prosecution in relation to Section 444 Education Act 1996, may be considered as an alternative to a Penalty Notice fine being issued. Where a parent takes a child out of school during term time for an extended period (20 days or more), not authorised by the school, prosecution in relation to Section 444 Education Act 1996, may also be considered by the Local Authority.
Here is an example of how unauthorised Term Time leave may affect you: