Absence Requests

Taking Your Child Out of  School

Regular and consistent attendance at school is essential. Absence and lateness disrupt a child’s education and the law does not grant parents an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time.

Attending medical, dental or other appointments within the school day:

Where ever possible, appointments should be made outside of school time. Keep the length of absence as short as possible by bringing your child to school before and after the appointment. Please complete an appointment request form for medical and dental appointments or any other short (1 day or part of a day) absence request. These should be for authorisation with as much notice as possible (usually at least 3 days). Please include evidence of the appointment (e.g. a copy of the appointment letter) with the request.

Requesting longer absences, e.g. term time holiday requests:

Absence Request Guidance including information about term time holidays.

Absence request forms must be submitted to the school office at least 10 days before the proposed absence and before any holiday is booked.

If your request is refused and the child is still taken out of school, this will be an unauthorised absence and this could result in a fine being issued to each parent for each child.

Please note that any absence that is taken without permission will be marked as unauthorised.

For further information, please see the Attendance Policy.