Medical, Dental and Health Appointments

We understand that sometimes children need to attend medical, dental, hospital, therapy or other health-related appointments during the school day.

Where possible, parents and carers should arrange appointments outside school hours or at the beginning or end of the school day. This allows children to attend as much of the school day as possible and minimises the amount of learning missed.

Where an appointment must take place during school hours:

• Advance notice must be given to the school so that the absence can be reviewed by the Attendance Lead.
• Appointments can be notified through ParentsApp or by completing a paper form available below or from the school office.
• Parents and carers are require to provide the date, time, location and reason for the appointment in writing.
• Your child should be absent from school for only the minimum amount of time necessary to attend the appointment and travel to and from it.
• Children should not be absent for a whole or half school day unnecessarily.
• The school may request evidence of the appointment before the absence can be authorised.

Medical, dental, hospital and other health-related appointments may be recorded as authorised absence where appropriate. All requests will be considered in accordance with the school's attendance policy and current Department for Education guidance.

Leave of Absence During Term Time

The law does not give parents and carers an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time. A Leave of Absence request must be made to the school in advance.

Our absence lead, Miss Edminson, has discretion to consider requests for leave of absence in specific or exceptional circumstances. Each application will be considered individually, taking into account the circumstances of the request and any relevant background information.

Parents or carers with whom the child normally lives must complete a the Leave of Absence form, explaining the exceptional circumstances for the request. Paper copies are available from the school office and online copies can be found below. Parents / carers can also complete an absence notification / request form on ParentsApp.

The completed form should be returned to school at least two weeks before the first day of the requested absence. This notice period does not apply in circumstances such as bereavement or an unexpected serious family emergency.

The Headteacher or absence lead may call or invite parents or carers to a meeting to discuss the request.

Exceptional circumstances

The school defines exceptional circumstances as an event or problem that a parent or carer cannot control or did not expect.

Holidays taken during term time will not normally be authorised unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Examples of circumstances that may be considered exceptional and may result in an authorised absence include:

• The pupil is too unwell or infectious to attend school.
• Medical or dental appointments.
• An absence recommended by a health professional as part of a parent or child's rehabilitation from physical or mental ill-health or injury.
• The school site, or part of it, is closed because of an unavoidable cause when it should otherwise be open.
• School or local-authority transport is unavailable and the pupil's home is not within the relevant safe walking distance.
• A local or national emergency has caused widespread disruption to travel or daily activities and prevented the pupil from attending school.
• Service personnel returning from a tour of duty abroad where there is evidence that they will not be able to take leave in the near future during the school holidays.
• Religious observance where the day is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the pupil's parents belong. The school may seek confirmation from the relevant religious body if necessary.
• Pupils travelling with parents or carers for occupational purposes where this applies to recognised travelling communities and the arrangements have been agreed with the school.
• Bereavement or an unexpected and serious personal or family problem.
• Attending the wedding of someone close to the family, for up to one day.

The school may request evidence to support an application for leave of absence.

Educational Activities and Other Approved Absences

There are also circumstances where leave of absence or absence from the normal school timetable may be authorised for educational purposes. These can include:

• Attending an approved off-site educational activity.
• Attending another school where the pupil is registered through dual registration.
• Attending provision arranged by the Local Authority, such as alternative provision or provision arranged as part of an Education, Health and Care Plan.
• Participating in an approved sporting activity.
• Attending an educational visit or trip arranged by the school.
• Attending work experience.

Where leave of absence is granted, the Headteacher will determine how long the pupil can be absent. The full period requested may not necessarily be authorised.

If a pupil does not return to school on the day after their authorised leave ends, the additional absence will be recorded as unauthorised absence.

Unauthorised Absence and Penalty Notices

Unauthorised absences, including holidays that have not been authorised by the Headteacher, are cumulative. They are added to previous periods of absence and persistent lateness recorded at the school.

Parents and carers have a legal responsibility to ensure that their children attend school regularly. Where the relevant thresholds are met, parents may receive a Notice to Improve and/or a Fixed Penalty Notice under Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996, as amended.

The current penalty notice arrangements are:

• First offence: £80 per parent, per child, if paid within 21 days, increasing to £160 if paid between 21 and 28 days.
• Second penalty notice within three years: £160 per parent, per child, payable within 28 days.
• Failure to pay a penalty notice within 28 days may result in prosecution.

Before a penalty notice is issued, and where the relevant thresholds have been met, the school will consider each case individually. This includes consideration of the circumstances leading to the absence or persistent lateness, the support already provided to the child or family, and the impact of any action already taken or being considered.

Where a pupil has been excluded and the school has notified the parent that the pupil must not be present in a public place during school hours during the first five days of a fixed-term or permanent exclusion, a penalty fine of £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 21 days, may apply.

The school will follow the Local Authority's local code of conduct when issuing penalty notices.

Our expectation

Parents and carers are asked to support good attendance by arranging appointments outside school hours wherever possible. Where an appointment during the school day is unavoidable, please notify the school in advance and ensure that your child is absent for the shortest possible period of time.