Pupil Leave of Absence – Guidance from Shropshire Council25 June 2021 (by admin) |
Headteachers are only allowed to authorise any leave of absence when an application has been made in advance, and it's felt to be for an exceptional circumstance.
The annual family holiday wouldn't be deemed an exceptional circumstance.
What should I do if I wish to request a leave of absence?
You should contact your child's school to find out how to make a request for permission. We'd strongly recommend that you do this before planning any leave of absence.
Who should make the request?
The request should be made by the parent or carer with whom the child lives. This is the case even where it's another person who wishes to take the child out of school.
What happens if my child goes on holiday in term time or takes leave of absence for other reasons without permission from the school?
The absences will be marked in the school register as unauthorised absences, and this may result in a truancy penalty notice of £60 (rising to £120) per parent per child being issued by Shropshire Council. In some cases, parents may be prosecuted for the offence of failure to ensure regular attendance at school.
Parents/carers should never simply discount the amount of a penalty notice from the cost of a cheaper holiday, because this is a criminal offence and when doing so they're always risking prosecution.