PUPIL LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL FOR FAMILY HOLIDAYS

 

GUIDANCE

As part of the LEA’s Behaviour Support Plan and the ongoing drive to improve the attendance levels in all schools this document is intended to assist headteachers, governors, school staff and parents/carers in making decisions about the timing, need and educational impact that can occur when taking a child out of school for a holiday during term time.

The basis of this document comes from the

Education (Schools and Further Education) Regulations 1981.

Regulation 12.

Contained within this regulation, there is a discretionary power for leave to be granted for the purpose of an annual family holiday or an annual holiday during term time.

Such permission is granted in accordance with arrangements made by the governing body of the school. Only in exceptional circumstances may the amount of leave granted exceed (in total) more than two weeks in any year.

No parent can demand leave of absence for the purposes of a holiday as of right.

The above definition is further refined and clarified by the

The Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995

Leave of absence

Section 8 (1) "Leave of absence may only be granted by a person authorised in that behalf by the proprietor of the school"

Section 8 (3) "Subject to paragraph (4), on application made by the parent with whom the pupil normally resides, a pupil may be granted leave of absence from the school to enable him/her to go away on holiday"

Section 8 (4) "Save in exceptional circumstances, a pupil shall not in pursuance of paragraph (3) be granted more than ten school days leave in any school year"

The above regulations clearly make the point that the headteacher has the final decision as to whether to authorise the holiday or not.

 

 

THE LEA AND SCHOOLS SHOULD ACTIVELY DISCOURAGE PARENTS FROM TAKING CHILDREN ON HOLIDAY DURING TERM TIME

 

Guidance has been issued to the LEA and to schools over a number of years and that guidance remains valid. The following advice is taken from the:

  1. School Attendance Policy and Practice on Categorization of Absence DFEE publication May 1994
  2. Social Inclusion: Pupil Support 10/99 & 11/99

    3. DFEE circulars

  3. School Attendance Information for parents

DFEE leaflet

A clear procedure for requesting leave of absence should be available to parents and included in the school’s prospectus and policy statement (see attached proforma application form)

 

 

 

 

 

Each request for holiday absence should be considered individually.

In doing so the Headteacher needs to consider the following before authorising the leave.

  1. The child’s previous attendance history
  2. The age of the child(ren)
  3. The child’s stage of education
  4. The time of year (SATS or exams)
  5. The nature of the trip (an exceptional experience)
  6. Whether the parents are restricted in terms of leave from their employer

Where the school and the parents fail to reach an agreement and the child is then absent from school the absence must be marked as unauthorised.

Where the parents keep a child away for longer than agreed then the extra time should also be marked as unauthorised.

It follows that leave of absence for more than two weeks must be seen as exceptional. Schools should carefully explore with parents why such leave of absence is necessary. Where such leave is sanctioned it constitutes authorised absence.

Where holidays of more than two weeks duration are planned to visit family members living overseas, schools may find it helpful to discuss with parents the most appropriate time of year and point in the pupils educational career for the visit. This could be timed to minimise the effects on the continuity of the pupil’s education. In cases where approval is given for such a holiday, schools may wish to consider making up a study pack or setting assignments for the pupil concerned, to complete while he or she is away.