Requests For A Holiday/absence In Term Time Sample printable pdf download

Brighton and Hove City Council Guidance Letter to Parents

REQUESTS FOR A HOLIDAY/ABSENCE IN TERM TIME

Dear Parents/Carers

The law does not grant parents an automatic right to take their child out of school

during term time. Any absence from school will disrupt your child’s learning. You

may consider that a holiday will be educational, but your child will still miss out on

the teaching that their classmates will receive. Children returning for a term time

holiday are also unprepared for the lessons that build on the teaching they have

missed. When teachers have to give more time to help individual children catch up

on missed work, other students in the class may miss out on help, and under-achieve

as a result. This is a situation that we all have a responsibility to avoid.

The Department for Education only allows a Headteacher discretion to consider an

absence/holiday in term time in “special circumstances”. Very few requests fall into

this category. If you consider that your request falls into this category, you will need

to complete a ‘leave of absence during term time’ form, which is on the school’s

website. A response will be sent to you as soon as possible. If the request is not

considered to be a special circumstance, and you nevertheless take your child out of

school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

In the case of an unauthorised absence/holiday, the Access to Education Team within

Brighton and Hove City Council will be notified of the unauthorised absence/holiday

taken, and a Penalty Notice will be issued. Please note that such a penalty is issued

to each parent for each child taken out of school. A Penalty Notice is a fine for £60

per parent per child, which increases to £120 per parent per child if not paid within

21 days. If the Penalty Notice remains unpaid after 28 days, this may result in legal

action.

All requests must be completed on the Brighton and Hove Schools Leave of Absence

during term time form, which can be found on the school’s website. Letters will not

be accepted. This form should be returned to the school at least 14 days before the

start of the absence.

In deciding whether to authorise the holiday, the following will be taken into

account:

 Reasons given for the holiday

 The time of year/term

 Whether your child will miss tests/examinations or preparations for these.

I hope you will support our efforts to raise attendance and attainment.

Requests For A Holiday/absence In Term Time Sample