Application For Leave For Holiday During Term Time

The government has directed all local authorities to raise attendance through reducing all holidays in term time.  Bury LA requires that all primary schools follow their revised policy, ‘Raising Attainment Through Reducing Holidays.’  DCSF regulations states that time off for family holidays, is not a right.  Schools have discretion to allow 10 days holiday leave BUT only in very exceptional, special circumstances.  These include:

1. For service personnel and other employees who are prevented from taking holidays outside term time.  Proof would need to be provided.
2. When a family needs to spend time together to support each other during or after a crisis.

The following procedures must be followed:

• A minimum notice of 10 days must be given to the school.  Parents & Carers should request the leave of absence form - or it can be requested from school.  The form should be completed and returned to school with details of the reason for the request. 
• On receipt of the form, the Headteacher may invite parents/carers into school for a meeting to discuss the request.  A decision will be made to approve or not to approve the application and a copy given to the parent/carer, Education Welfare Officer and a copy kept on file.
• If a request is not agreed, the school will make the reason clear to the parent/carer and explain that if the child is taken out school, they may face legal action and/or be removed from the school roll.
• Schools will record all holidays/leave in term time requests.  This record will be passed from primary to secondary, or school-to-school in the case of a transfer.

You need to be aware that if you choose to remove your child, despite the fact that your request has been denied that you could incur a fine of £50 per parent for each of your children and a penalty notice may be issued.

As you can see from the above, most requests for leave of absence to take a family holiday WILL NOT be granted.  It will only be in exceptional circumstances that a request will be approved.  Please also note that requests to take children out of school overlapping with the beginning and end of term will also NOT BE GRANTED, again unless in exceptional circumstances in 1 & 2 above.

This is a significant change to previous practice and I understand that the above might cause problems for some families, but the same criteria will apply to all.

Yours sincerely
Mrs Reynolds
Headteacher