Request for Holiday Leave During Term Time
In September 2013 the Department for Education amended the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 removing the Headteacher's ability to authorise leave of absence for a family holiday. Holidays in term-time will not be authorised as the Regulations only allow Headteacher's to authorise absence (leave) in "exceptional circumstances." An "exceptional circumstance" would have to be defined as an unavoidable cause e.g. a one-off emergency situation which prevents the child from attending school. Family holidays, for whatever reason, cannot be approved, even if the parent is unable to take time off work at any other time.
Requests for holidays in term time will not be authorised.
If the absence is not authorised and the holiday is taken anyway, the case may be referred to the Attendance Service who may issue a Penalty Notice to each parent for each child taken out of school.