Requesting Absence
Attendance
At St John’s (CE) Primary Academy we strongly believe that ‘attendance is its own reward’. In other words, children have to be here to learn and achieve.
The Department for Education’s (DfE’s) made statutory changes regarding absence for pupils which applied from 19th August 2024 to improve the national pupil data for attendance, aiming to have the overall academy and individual attendance data for pupils to be 95% or above.
The Department for Education states that a Principal should not grant a leave of absence in term time unless there are “exceptional circumstances”. If the absence is not considered to be an exceptional circumstance, and you nevertheless take your child out of school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and could be subject to a penalty notice.
In the case of an unauthorised absence, attendance data is shared with the Calderdale Educational Welfare Office (EWO) and a Penalty Notice could be issued by the Local Authority for each child taken out of school.
Pupils should only be absent for: Illness, unavoidable medical or dental appointments and exceptional family circumstances, i.e. wedding or funeral.
Whilst we may understand and sympathise with reasons for absence and taking term time holidays, the law and Education Department Guidance is very clear.
Requesting a 'planned leave of absence'
Parents/carers need to complete the 'Planned Leave of Absence Form', returning this to the academy office at least 14 days prior to travelling.
Penalty Notice Information from Calderdale Council