Please see attached link for information regarding unauthorised holidays during term time.
http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/documents/unauthorised%20holidays%20during%20term-time%20leaflet.pdf
http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/documents/unauthorised%20holidays%20during%20term-time%20leaflet.pdf
Section 30 of the 1980 Education Act lays a duty on every parent of a child of ‘school age’ to ensure that their child attends school regularly. Attendance must be recorded twice a day, morning and afternoon.
Regulation 7 of The Education (Scotland and Placing Information) (Scotland) Amendment etc Regulations 1993 requires each child/young person’s absence from school to be recorded in the school register as authorised: e.g. approved by the authority, or unauthorised; e.g. unexplained by the parent (truancy) or excluded from school.
Good attendance at school is vital to ensure good progress in learning and has a positive impact on attainment. The school will work closely with parents and carers to ensure that all pupils attend all classes thus providing them with a platform to success in school.
There are few areas of attendance that are clarified below.
FAMILY HOLIDAY NOT AUTHORISED BY THE SCHOOL
The majority of family holidays taken during term time will be categorised as unauthorised absence. However, it is acceptable under exceptional circumstances for schools to authorise a family holiday during term time. Such circumstances may include:
A family holiday classified under the ‘authorised absence’ category should not include such reasons as:
EXTENDED LEAVE WITH PARENTAL CONSENT
Where most family holidays will be recorded as unauthorised absence (see below), extended leave with parental consent will not be considered the same as a family holiday. Extended leave with parental consent will be recorded separately outside the figures for attendance and absence, and include circumstances such as:
ADVICE TO PARENTS
Schools will follow-up all instances of pupil non-attendance in order to accurately record the reason for absence using the above coding system. It would be extremely helpful in this regard, if parents contact school at the beginning and end of the absence period – indicating their awareness of the absence and reason for absence at the beginning of the period and expectation of return to school at the end of the absence period. Where no information is provided absences will be considered to be unexplained and therefore recorded as unauthorised.
Regulation 7 of The Education (Scotland and Placing Information) (Scotland) Amendment etc Regulations 1993 requires each child/young person’s absence from school to be recorded in the school register as authorised: e.g. approved by the authority, or unauthorised; e.g. unexplained by the parent (truancy) or excluded from school.
Good attendance at school is vital to ensure good progress in learning and has a positive impact on attainment. The school will work closely with parents and carers to ensure that all pupils attend all classes thus providing them with a platform to success in school.
There are few areas of attendance that are clarified below.
FAMILY HOLIDAY NOT AUTHORISED BY THE SCHOOL
The majority of family holidays taken during term time will be categorised as unauthorised absence. However, it is acceptable under exceptional circumstances for schools to authorise a family holiday during term time. Such circumstances may include:
- A family holiday judged to be important to the well-being and cohesion of the family following serious or terminal illness, bereavement or other traumatic events
- Where a parent’s employment is of a nature where school holiday leave cannot be accommodated (e.g. armed services or emergency services)
A family holiday classified under the ‘authorised absence’ category should not include such reasons as:
- The availability of cheap holidays
- The availability of desired accommodation
- Poor weather experienced during school holidays
- Holidays which overlap the beginning or end of term
- Parental difficulty obtaining leave (with local judgement applied in cases where evidence is provided by the employer that it cannot accommodate leave during school holidays without serious consequences)
EXTENDED LEAVE WITH PARENTAL CONSENT
Where most family holidays will be recorded as unauthorised absence (see below), extended leave with parental consent will not be considered the same as a family holiday. Extended leave with parental consent will be recorded separately outside the figures for attendance and absence, and include circumstances such as:
- Extended overseas educational trips not organised by the school
- Short-term parental placement abroad
- Family returning to its country of origin (to care for a relative, or for cultural reasons)
- Leave in relation to the children of travelling families
ADVICE TO PARENTS
Schools will follow-up all instances of pupil non-attendance in order to accurately record the reason for absence using the above coding system. It would be extremely helpful in this regard, if parents contact school at the beginning and end of the absence period – indicating their awareness of the absence and reason for absence at the beginning of the period and expectation of return to school at the end of the absence period. Where no information is provided absences will be considered to be unexplained and therefore recorded as unauthorised.
