Attendance & Leave of Absence

At Heatherley Primary School, we believe that regular attendance is of the highest importance in making sure all our children get the best learning outcomes.

Statistics show that there is a direct link between poor attendance and under achievement. Children who come to school regularly and on time make better progress both academically and socially.

Application for leave of absence during term time

The guidelines regarding holidays in term time, as set by the Department for Education, state that we are unable to authorise holidays during term time unless there is an exceptional circumstance. 

Please complete a Leave of Absence Form and return it to the school office if your child is going to be away. Please be aware that a fine may be issued if you choose to take your child away during term time. 

Parents/carers are required to complete a Leave of Absence Form, which can also be obtained from our school office four weeks in advance of the holiday and state if there are exceptional reasons why the holiday needs to be taken during term time. If we are unable to authorise the holiday you may choose to continue with your plans but this absence will be marked as unauthorised and there is a possibility the Local Authority may issue a fixed penalty notice to you. If we do not receive communication from you, staff will visit your home on day 3 and day 4 of your absence. If no-one is home and we suspect you have gone away, a fine may be issued. Please read our attendance policy for further details.

We understand that this may cause difficulties for some families, but the link between good attendance rates and high achievement levels is clear and the Department for Education is keen to ensure that all young people maximise their chances of success by attending school whenever it is open.

We work closely with primary schools in the Garibaldi Family to ensure that we all apply the guidelines consistently.

Thank you for your cooperation, we will try to work with you but we are restricted by these guidelines