College Procedure for Student Leave of Absence Request

A student who takes two weeks’ leave during term-time is missing 50 hours of their College contact time or 3000 minutes.  The ‘knock-on’ effect is that the student and their teachers have to retrace the lost time which causes disruption to timetables and fellow students’ learning.

No parent or carer has a right to withdraw a student from College to go on holiday during term-time without the sole permission of the College Principal and Governing Body.  A maximum of 10 days may be granted in exceptional circumstances.

The aim of the Senior Management Team and the Governing Body is to work with you to enhance the outstanding achievements that the College is renowned for and to build upon the success of recent years.  We would, therefore, ask for your support in improving College attendance by ensuring that requests for holidays in term-time are made only in exceptional circumstances.

1. Parent/Carer must complete a Leave of Absence giving at least one full week’s notice.
2. The College checks legislation and guidance, including what constitutes ‘special circumstances’ and what constitutes ‘exceptional circumstances’, and reasons for authorising/not authorising Leave of Absence.
3. The College may telephone the parent/carer if insufficient information is submitted.
4. The Principal may grant or deny the request.
5. The College completes the ‘Reasons for Refusal’ on Leave of Absence form.
6. The College returns the form to the parent, files copies of all paperwork as evidence, copy retained for Education Welfare Service.
7. The College monitors attendance/absence over the appropriate period.
8. The College informs the Education Welfare Service of related unauthorised absence.
9. College and Education Welfare Service liaise to determine course of action which may include Referral, action towards Penalty Notice, Fast Track to Improving Attendance (up to and including Prosecution).
   

Please note:

All requests for Leave of Absence must be submitted prior to a student’s absence, as permission cannot be given retrospectively.

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