Family holidays and school holidays

Children have 13 weeks annual holiday from school and school holiday dates are published well in advance online. As such, all parents/carers are expected, wherever possible, to plan and take their family holidays at this time so as not to disrupt their children’s education. Education law states that parents do not have a right to take their child out of school for a holiday during term time. Only in exceptional circumstances may a headteacher grant permission for leave; and it is the headteacher's decision on whether the absence is exceptional and how many days to approve.

Parents/carers who take their child out of school without the absence being agreed and authorised by written permission from the school can be issued with a penalty fine.

For more information about Hampshire's guidance on attendance, please go to: http://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/behaviour-attendance-parents

Should you require a Leave of Absence form, please select either the Word format, so you can download and edit it online, or the PDF format, if you want to download and print it at home.