HOLIDAYS AND REQUESTS FOR ABSENCE POLICY
PENKETH HIGH SCHOOL
HOLIDAYS AND REQUESTS FOR ABSENCE In accordance with the school’s attendance policy, Section 7 of the 1996 Education Act requires parents to ensure that children of compulsory age receive full time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs they might have. A child is of compulsory age at the beginning of their first term after their 5th birthday and ceases on the last Friday in June of the school year in which they reach 16. Local Authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure that parents secure education for children of compulsory school age and where necessary use legal enforcement. The Education Regulations require schools to take an attendance register twice a day, once at the start of the morning session and during the afternoon session. The register must record whether the pupils were present, absent, present at approved activity or unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances.
Parents and carers are strongly advised to avoid taking pupils on holiday during term time. A two week holiday from school would constitute 5% absence across the academic year. Holidays during term time will not be authorised by the school unless exceptional circumstances are presented. These will be considered by the Head, Deputy Head and/or the Assistant Principal who oversees attendance in school and authorisation will only be granted at their discretion.
Parents who are considering taking their child on holiday during term time must complete a holiday request form available for download on the school website or from the school’s attendance office. This must be returned to the school’s Attendance Officer before holiday arrangements are made and must detail the exceptional circumstances to be considered by the school. It must also clearly state the proposed dates that the pupil will be absent from school. Parents will be informed in writing as to whether the absence is to be authorised or not.
Penketh High School – HOLIDAYS AND ABSENCE- March 2014
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Any requests for absence retrospectively will not be authorised regardless of the circumstances and will negatively count as unauthorised absence. Requests for absence submitted any later than 7 working days prior to the absence will also not be considered for authorisation. If absence is not authorised by the school but the pupil is removed for the purpose of the holiday a referral will be made to the Education Welfare Officer from the Local Authority. This may result in the parents or carer being issued with a fine or, depending on the pupil’s previous attendance record, could result in prosecution procedures being brought against the parent/carer.
Each case will be considered on an individual basis and will take in to account; •
The length of the proposed absence
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The academic progress of the pupil
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The stage within the academic year
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The circumstances presented
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The pupil’s current attendance record and previous year’s attendance where applicable including previous holidays taken.
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Cultural considerations.
Parents need to ensure that they contact the school during the holiday period, which has been authorised, of any reason that will delay the pupil’s return to school beyond the agreed date. Parents also need to be made aware that if a pupil does not return to school, they could be removed from the school roll meaning that they lose the right to attend Penketh High School.
Penketh High School – HOLIDAYS AND ABSENCE- March 2014
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