Term Dates
Please click on our term dates below for this academic year and the next year
Good Attendance
Changes to how schools manage attendance
Information for Parents/carers
You may be aware that the Department for Education has recently announced national changes to penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence in term time. These changes came into effect on 19 August 2024.
The Governing Body of this school has previously decided not to issue penalty notices to any parents for unauthorised absence. From 19th August, governing bodies cannot take this stance.
If parents/children meet the thresholds from September 2024 onwards, our governing board is in the position of needing to issue penalty notices.
Going forward absence request forms must be completed and handed into the office. If a family considers their circumstances to be extenuating, then they should speak to Mrs Bashora or Mrs Seers before booking absence in term time, if there is a chance to avoid penalty notices being issued.
The changes to be aware of are:
- Penalty notices issued for offences that take place after 19 August 2024 will be charged at a new rate of £160 per parent per child. This can be paid at £80 if paid within 21 days.
- Any second penalty notice issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period will be issued at the rate of £160 to be paid within 28 days with no option for a discounted rate.
- The threshold at which a penalty notice must be considered is set at 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school week period. This may include absences as a result of arriving late after the register closes. The 10 school weeks may span different terms or school years.
- A maximum of 2 penalty notices may be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, so at the 3rd (or subsequent) offence(s) another course of action will need to be considered (such as prosecution or one of the other attendance legal interventions).
If you do need to request an absence for your child please click on the form below and return it to the school office.
Absence Request Form
