Attendance Overview

For more information, see our Attendance Policy on our Policies page.

For absences, please email [email protected].

When your child can miss school

In the UK, every day that a child misses school for any unauthorised reason constitutes a criminal offence.

You can only allow your child to miss school if either:

• They are too ill to go in
• You have advance permission from the school

There is extra support available if your child can’t go to school for long periods because of a health problem.

Holidays in term time

You must get permission from the head teacher (whose decision is final) if you want to take your child out of school during term time.

You can only do this if:

• you make an application to the head teacher in advance (as a parent the child normally lives with)
• there are exceptional circumstances

It is up to the head teacher how many days your child can be away from school if leave is granted.

You can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school’s permission.

Summary

• Any absence taken without asking or informing the school in advance can lead to an automatic referral to the Local Authority

• ‘Aggravated circumstances’ such as repeated absences for holidays, or taking your child out of school during key assessment periods, could lead straight to prosecution