Attendance & Holidays in Term Time
Attendance
As a school we encourage good attendance so our children can 'Let Their Lights Shine'.
However, children who are too ill to come to school or may pass infection to others should not attend. When children are absent from school we ask parents to inform the school office by 9.00am on the first day of absence Following sickness children must not return to school until 48 hours after the last bout of vomiting or diarrhoea in line with the NHS guidance. As a school we follow the infection control guidelines from Public Health England
Leave of absence will be given for attendance at medical or dental appointments or for examinations in music, dance etc. However, where possible such appointments should be made outside of school hours.
This is the advice from the Department for Children, Schools and Families:
“It is wholly appropriate for parents to keep children away from school when they are not well enough to attend lessons. But it is equally inappropriate for parents to keep children away from school for trivial ailments, particularly ailments which would not keep parents away from work. Where schools have concerns.., they can and should challenge the parents’ explanation and seek evidence of the illness.”
If you have arranged for someone other than yourself to collect your child, please communicate this information to an adult in your child's class.
Leave of Absence from School Request
Amendments to the Education (Student Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, in force from 1st September 2013, make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.
In exceptional circumstances, when leave of absence is granted, the Headteacher will determine the number of school days a child or young person can be away from school.
Parents should not plan for their child to be absent from school without gaining prior agreement. Requests for a planned leave of absence under exceptional circumstances should be made at least 4 weeks in advance of the start date of the requested absence, by completing the Absence from School for Exceptional Circumstances Request Form. The Headteacher cannot retrospectively authorise a planned absence.
Parents can be fined by the Local Authority for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school.
Let Your Light Shine’ (Matthew 5:16)
