Time lost by children and young people due to leave in term time can be disruptive to their education.  Wherever possible, absence from school should be avoided as it can have a serious effect on your child’s educational progress and can create difficulties for them on their return to school.

From September 2024 new guidance came into place which removes the ability for parents to take their child out of school for an authorised term time holiday.  Generally, the DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance.

There is a single consistent national threshold for when a penalty notice must be considered by all schools in England of 10 sessions (usually equivalent to five school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period.  These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence.  Where a period of absence is not deemed as exceptional, a referral will be made to the local authority to consider issuing a fixed penalty notice of up to £160 per child, per parent, or you may be prosecuted.  This will be considered and administered by Westmorland and Furness Council.

Two week holiday = 60 lessons missed
Three week holiday = 90 lessons missed

Notification of a student’s leave of absence