Holidays During Term Time
Holidays in term-time may be less expensive but your child’s education is priceless!!
The law
The law says that parents do not have the right to take their child out of school for holidays during term-time.
In exceptional circumstances, however, schools can allow parents to take their child out of class for up to ten days in a school year.
If you take a holiday without the school’s permission or if the child fails to return on the agreed date this will be recorded as unauthorised absence (truancy), and noted on the child’s attendance certificate. The school may also decide to take the child off roll.
This could result in your having to apply to a different school for your child.
School’s decision
Holidays in term time will not be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances. When deciding whether to allow term-time leave, the school will ask the parents what are the exceptional circumstances for the request to go on holiday.
It is important that parents carefully consider the implications of taking their child out of school during term-time. There are 175 days (weekends and school holidays) available to use for holidays, which would not have a detrimental effect on your child’s education.
Every school day counts!
Parent/guardian decision
What you need to consider. There are times during a school year when your child may experience particular problems because of term-time leave such as:-
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Disadvantages if close to exams or tests.
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Disadvantages during A Level / A/S, GCSE exams, coursework and studies in the whole of Years 10, 11, 12 and 13.
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Settling in problems during the first year at a new school, especially at a period of transition from Year 6 to Year 7 secondary.
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Children who need help in certain subjects need to access all the educational support that is offered.
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Some children may find it difficult to renew friendships with their classmates when they return to school.
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Your child may miss out on valuable group work with classmates that cannot be repeated.
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It could embarrass and lower your child’s self-esteem to have to ask for help to catch up in each lesson.
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It could be disruptive for other pupils in lessons, when your child needs extra help to catch up.
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Missing ‘Induction Week’, when Year 6 primary pupils visit their new secondary school, to familiarise themselves with the new school layout.
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Please consider the unspoken message you are giving your child, by letting them think it is acceptable to miss school. Some young people with severe truancy problems have told us it all started when they had a week or two off school for a holiday.
Please refer to the school, when requesting holidays in term time and please note that permission must be sought in advance, and that if this be following transition from KS2 then the secondary should be contacted.