Exceptional Leave during Term Time

Attendance at school each day is essential for children’s continual development and success.  Coventry Local Authority does not support holidays being taken during school time.  There are 190 statutory days in a school year, which leaves 175 days, every year, out of school time available for holidays.

Schools are unable to authorise absences for family holidays taken during term time, unless there are ‘exceptional’ circumstances.  This is in line with formal guidelines issued by the DfE which can be found here.

In addition, before considering booking holidays during term time, parents should familiarise themselves with guidance available on the Government website which includes the following:

When your child can miss school

You can only allow your child to miss school if either:

  • they’re too ill to go in
  • you’ve got advance permission from the school

Holidays in term time

You have to get permission from the head teacher if you want to take your child out of school during term time.

You can only do this if:

  • you make an application to the head teacher in advance (as a parent the child normally lives with)
  • there are exceptional circumstances

It’s up to the head teacher how many days your child can be away from school if leave is granted.

You can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school’s permission.

If you therefore take your child out of school for a holiday during term time, it is likely to be recorded as ‘unauthorised’.  High levels of unauthorised absence could result in the school issuing fixed penalty notices, in line with local and national advice.

Requesting consideration for authorised leave during term time

It is not an automatic right for parents to withdraw children for holidays during term time and any such requests for leave due to ‘exceptional circumstances’ MUST be made in advance.

Any planned absence that is reported after it has taken place will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’ irrespective of the circumstances.  Any notifications made by parents where they are ‘informing’ the school of their intention to take a child out of school for a holiday as opposed to ‘requesting’ consideration for leave due to exceptional circumstances will also automatically be recorded as ‘unauthorised’.

Applications for leave during term time for ‘exceptional circumstances’ will only be considered if:

  • The request is made in advance, using the school’s official request form (below)
  • The child for whom the request is being made has previously high levels of attendance for the last 12 months (95%+)
  • The school considers the reason for the absence request as an ‘exceptional circumstance’
  • The request is for no longer than 7 school days or would take the number of authorised absences for ‘exceptional circumstances’ over 7 days for the academic year

What does the school consider to be ‘exceptional circumstances’

Creating a definitive list of circumstances that would be considered exceptional is both impossible and impractical.  The school will consider each application for absence individually.  To provide parents with some guidance, however, the following reasons are ones which may be considered as ‘exceptional’

  • The wedding of a parent or sibling
  • The funeral of a parents, grandparent or sibling
  • A religious observance
  • Out of school programmes such as music, arts or sports, operating at a high standard of achievement
  • Graduation ceremony of an immediate family member

In each of the above, the exact details and circumstances would need to be considered before authorisation is given.

What will the school not authorise as an ‘exceptional circumstance’

Although each request is considered individually, the following situations will typically not be considered ‘exceptional circumstances’

  • Holidays taken during term time to lower the cost or due to parental work commitment
  • Availability of a desired holiday destination
  • Holidays booked where term dates do not coincide with siblings who are in attendance at other settings
  • Holidays which overlap the beginning or end of a term
  • Holidays abroad for the purpose of visiting relatives

Please note that the school will not authorise any absence due to take place during National Assessment windows (e.g. Y6 SATS).

Please also note that it is not teacher’s responsibility to plan and provide work for children to complete during holidays taken during term time and the school will not respond to such requests.

Making a request for exceptional leave during term time

Any requests for exceptional leave during term time should be made by completing the form below (or by following this link to the form).

Once it has been submitted, your request will be reviewed by the headteacher and school governor with responsibility for attendance who will confirm to you, in writing:

  • The outcome of your request
  • If authorised, the number of days that have been authorised
  • If not authorised, the reasons for this

We will aim to respond to all requests within 10 school days.  If, for some reason, you have not heard back from the school in response to a request within this time frame, please contact the school admin team.