Leave of Absence (Absence request during term time)
School Attendance Letter from Shropshire Council
Empower Trust Guidance for Parents on Good Attendance
Leave of Absence in Exceptional Circumstances
It's known that missing school for any reason can cause a child to fall behind in their learning. Sometimes children find it difficult to settle back into school after a break. When children are taken out of school during term not only does the education of the individual child suffer, but it can cause disruption to the rest of the class, with teachers having to repeat work and give extra help so that the pupil can catch up.
However, there are some exceptional circumstances when parents may need to request that a child takes time out of school. Examples of circumstances which may be considered to be exceptional include the following:
-the serious illness/death of a close relative,
-parents in the armed forces who are between periods of active duty.
Parents do not have the right to take their child out of school for holidays in term time and leave of absences can only be authorised by a Headteacher in exceptional circumstances. Holidays in term time are not considered as exceptional and are unlikely to be unauthorised, unless there is an exceptional reason; reasons related to cost of holidays are not exceptional.
Holidays in school time are discouraged by Woodfield Infant School, in line with the Local Authority and government policy, because they disrupt children’s learning and education. Parents are asked to seriously consider the educational implications for their children, and also the impact for other children within the class, before making an application. Research shows that consistent attendance is crucial in giving children the best chance of success.
If your child has accumulated other absences, or there have been previous requests under exceptional circumstances, the request will be less likely to be approved. Retrospective requests for leave of absence will not be authorised. If your request for leave of absence is not authorised and you decide to take your child out of school you will automatically receive a Warning Notice letter from the Education Access Service and may incur a fine.
What should I do if I wish to request a leave of absence?
If you would like to request that your child takes a leave of absence during school time, please complete the form below and send it in to the school office. Your request will be looked at and you will receive a response from us telling you whether or not the absence has been authorised.
Shropshire Council Information