TERM DATES
Holiday | School closes (pm) | School re-open (am) |
Start of school year | Thursday 2nd September 2021 | |
Autumn half term | Friday 22nd October 2021 | Monday 1st November 2021 |
Christmas | Thursday 16th December 2021 | Wednesday 5th January 2022 |
Spring half term | Friday 11th February 2022 | Monday 21st February 2022 |
Easter | Friday 1st April 2022 | Thursday 21st April 2022 |
Summer half term | Friday 27th May 2022 | Monday 6th June 2022 |
Summer | Thursday 21st July 2022 |
- Good Friday 15th April 2022
- Easter Monday 18th April 2022
- May Day Monday 2nd May 2022
Taking your child out of school during term time
You are required by law to ensure that your child attends school regularly.
Leave of Absence during term time is not an entitlement and parent/carers cannot demand leave of absence for their child. Since 1st September 2013, headteachers have the discretion to grant leave of absence, but they should only do so in exceptional circumstances. If a headteacher grants a leave of absence request it will be for them to determine the length of time that the child can be away from school. A headteacher will not grant leave of absence for the purpose of a family holiday.
Applications for leave of absence in term time should only be made if there are exceptional circumstances as to why the leave cannot be taken outside of term time and these circumstances must be provided to the school with an application form (retrospective consent will not be given). Each request will be looked at on the exceptional circumstances detailed on the application form.
Any absence taken without the permission of the headteacher will be recorded as unauthorised absence in the school register, which is a legal document.
Penalty notices have been introduced under section 23 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 as an alternative to prosecution, for failing to ensure your child's regular school attendance. Where a child has at least 10 school sessions (half days) recorded as unauthorised absence due to taking holidays in school term time, a penalty notice may be issued to all parents/carers by the local authority. Since 1 September 2013, if a penalty notice is issued, each parent/carer will have 21 days from the date of issue to pay £60. After 21 days it will increase to £120 per parent/carer, per child. Failure to pay a penalty notice within 28 days will result in prosecution in the Magistrates' Court under section 444 (1/1A) of the Education Act 1996, for failing to secure regular school attendance of a child. Persistent unauthorised absence due to leave of absence in term time may result in prosecution.