Absence and Illness

Illness

Please notify school in writing if your child will be absent in order to receive treatment.

If your child has to leave school during lesson time for any reason (eg to attend a dental or hospital appointment) please would you put the request in writing and collect your child from the office.

Holiday Absence in Term Time

Pupils of school age must, by law, attend school regularly. Leave of absence for a family holiday should be avoided if possible as it can seriously disrupt a child's continuity of learning. If you are unable to avoid taking your holiday during school time you will need to complete a holiday form. Please try to:

• avoid asking for absence when your child is preparing for, or taking, end of key stage tests;
• avoid the beginning of a new academic year when classroom routines and new groupings are established;
• give at least two weeks notice that your child is going to be away.

School cannot legally authorise more than ten days school absence in a school year unless there are exceptional circumstances. The fact that parents have kept their child off school does not make it authorised; absences that are not for sickness, holiday or approved by the school are unauthorised. Where a pupil is absent without prior authorisation or without verbal or written explanation on return, the absence will be treated as unauthorised. Absences relating to individual children are recorded on the parental report in July. When absences are high, for whatever reason, the school welfare office will become involved.

School has a responsibility to report the number of unauthorised absences.

    Family Holidays during term time