Dear fellow parents,

Requests for holidays during term times

As you know, like every other Governing Body, the governors of Abacus Primary School have to produce an annual Action Plan to address the issues and targets of the school, in line with Government policy, as inspected by OFSTED.

One of the most serious negative issues at Abacus is the amount of time taken off school by pupils taking holidays during term times.  This is shown in the school's statistics and despite the best efforts of the staff and pupils this issue does have an adverse effect on the school's overall published performance in respect of attendance.

The Governing Body has stipulated that families can only make one request for up to 5 days, for holiday absence in the academic year.  Any further requests will be unauthorised.  You are asked to note that requests for 'single days' for birthdays, shows, long weekends or 'days out' will use up the 'one block' request.  

Children should be in school for 190 days per academic year and extra time out is not an automatic entitlement as holiday absence is not a right.  Any requests for absence during May, (assessment period) and September, (transition period) will not be authorised by the Head teacher and parents are therefore asked to consider any applications for leave very seriously.

If a request for holiday absence is made, the Head teacher must follow government protocols, checking each case individually.  She must consult the pupil's class teacher and register and if a pupil has had little to zero absence, is progressing well in class and the request is for not more than 5 days in one academic year, the Head Teacher is empowered to use her discretion, whether to grant leave or not.

Should the pupil have attendance problems and/or is not making good progress in class and/or more than 5 days leave within the academic year is being requested, the Head Teacher is obliged, by statute, to decline permission.

I hope that this letter clarifies once and for all the rules and procedures in respect of this matter and I hope that you will agree that these rules were introduced to protect pupils and to maximise their potential in school.  

Should you wish to discuss your particular case, within the stated rules, your first point of contact is with the Head Teacher.   The Governing Body is kept informed of all leave requested each term.

Please click the link below to print a form to request absence during term time. 

Yours faithfully