Family holidays during term time
From 1 September 2013, it is no longer a legal right for parents to take their children out of school for family holidays during term time. Headteachers can only grant leave of absence in exceptional circumstances.
If you need to take your child out of school for a family holiday, you must make a request in writing via a leave of absence request form which is available from the school. The new regulations also make it clear that headteachers may not authorise leave during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers would not be expected to class any term time holiday as exceptional.
If your request is approved, it does not set a precedent for future requests. The headteacher will consider the frequency and duration of any previous leave when making a decision.
If you take your child out of school without permission, the council may take a range of sanctions, such as issuing a penalty notice or referring you to the Education Welfare Service. The council will regularly monitor school absence during term-time and will work with headteachers to ensure parents adhere to the new legislation.
If you have any questions about term-time holidays, please talk to your child's school.