Term Time Holidays
Please complete this form and return to school at least 2 weeks prior to the request date and prior to booking. The headteacher will write to inform you of the outcome of the request. Request will only be authorised if they meet the exceptional circumstances listed in the Attendance Policy.
Attendance Policy
It is well recognised that good, consistent attendance at school is crucial to a child or young person’s future prospects and reducing absence from school continues to be a priority for our school. Reflecting national concerns around attendance, the Department for Education issued revised guidance in September 2013 strengthening the view that as a general rule, children should not be taken out of school for the purposes of a holiday.Time off school for family holidays is not a right and headteachers no longer have the authority to grant a leave of absence for this purpose unless there are exceptional circumstances.
At Upperthong Junior and Infant School, along with the Holmfirth Family of Schools, exceptional circumstances when leave of absence of up to 5 days may be considered are:
- for service personnel and other employees who are prevented from taking holidays outside term-time if the holiday will have minimal disruption to the pupil's education (acknowledgement from the employer/employing body that the holiday cannot be taken during the school holidays must be included with the request)
- when a family needs to spend time together to support each other during or after a crisis.
- significant family occasions for example weddings
- faith or heritage reasons
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When making the decision as to whether to authorise this absence the Headteacher will take into consideration current attendance.
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The school will not authorise holidays which are requested for the following reasons:
- availability of cheap holidays;
- availability of the desired accommodation;
- poor weather experienced in school holiday periods; and
- overlap with beginning or end of term.
Request Form
Where leave of absences are taken without proper authorisation, the following are possible actions:
- The absence will be treated as unauthorised and recorded as such.
- Parents can be given a Kirklees Penalty Notice or prosecuted for periods of unauthorised holidays. The penalty notice is currently £60 per parent per child if paid within 21 days or £120 within 28 days.
- Children can be taken off the school roll and may not be re-admitted to the
- Parents may be prosecuted under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 for repeat offences of unauthorised leave of absence.
- If a penalty notice is not paid and the case goes to court, a fine of up to £2,500 or 3 months imprisonment may be imposed
