Attendance
EMBEDDED_PDF_{/docs/Attendance_at_Mangotsfield_School.pdf}Leave in term time Leave in term time
Leave in term time
Please read the following important guidance before making a request:
The current law does not give any entitlement to parents/carers to take their children on holiday during term time. Any applications for leave must be made in exceptional circumstances and the head teacher must be satisfied that the circumstances warrant the granting of leave. Absence from school without the head teacher’s permission will be classed as unauthorised absence and may lead to the issuing of a Penalty Notice (fine).
There have been changes to the Penalty Fine Criteria which have been enforced from 19th August 2024. Penalty Notices are requested by schools and academies and issued by the Local Authority to the parents/carers of statutory school age children, per parent, per child. For example: two children in a family absent from school for a leave of absence may result in each parent receiving a Penalty Notice for each child at the below rates.
● There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school
days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered.
● The new rules mean you will no longer be able to take your child out of school for one week’s holiday without
a penalty notice being issued.
● There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days. If the fine is not paid by the first
21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 28 days of being issued. If a second penalty fine is issued to the
same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no
option to pay the lower rate of £80.
● If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other
enforcement options available to them.
Please be aware that family holiday even if felt by parents/carers to be educational activity, will not be authorised by the school.
Further information on school attendance and penalty notices can be found on the South Gloucestershire Council website.
Leave in term time request form