If your child is ill you should notify the school as soon as possible and by 9.15am at the latest. Please call the School Office on 01823 275906 and select option 1 to leave an absence message.

You must provide a reason for the absence, for example ‘sickness’. It is not adequate to simply say your child is unwell.

If you have not notified the school of your child’s absence and your child has not arrived in school, we shall text you and/or ring you to find out why your child is not in school. Failure to inform us of a valid reason will result in the absence being reported as unauthorised. The number of unauthorised sessions missed by a pupil will be reported in their annual report. (There are two sessions to each school day).

Hospital and Clinic Appointments 

When possible, please arrange these appointments after school. Advance notice of an appointment during school hours MUST be given and a copy of the  appointment letter MUST be provided. Pupils can be collected directly from school reception, where they will be signed out and signed back in on return (if relevant).  We are sorry but it is not possible for a child to leave school alone to meet a parent for an appointment.  This also applies for any other purpose.

Term Time Leave

Advice for Schools and Parents

Amendments to the Education (Student Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, in force from 1st September 2013, make clear that Head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

There is no formal definition offered for exceptional leave at present by the Department for Education. However, from discussion with the DfE and professional associations it is suggested that exceptional leave would be:

• Rare
• Significant
• Unavoidable
• Short

(NAHT, 2014)

The Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust and the SCC Education Welfare Officer support schools:

• In expecting parents and carers to make sure that children and young people attend school regularly. Any absence from school will impact on educational achievement, success in later life and longer-term health and wellbeing.

• In ensuring the law is upheld. Parents and carers are committing an offence if they fail to ensure the regular and punctual attendance of their child at the school where they are on roll. Schools must explain their stance on term time leave in their attendance policy so that parents and carers are clear on expectations and potential consequences, such as any unauthorised absence including taking term time leave not agreed with the school, can result in legal action being taken including Penalty Notices and court prosecution.

Taking a child on holiday in term time interrupts the learning of the whole class and teachers have to spend time helping children catch up when they return. Parents should arrange holidays during the 13-week school holiday periods. Schools are open 190 days which leaves 175 days of the year for holidays.