We appreciate that there are times that children need to be absent from school, however the research does show that missing 5%+ of a pupils school learning time can have significant impact on children’s progress and also allows gaps in learning to be created. Please can we ask that during the school terms, you ensure that no trips or events are planned in school time. This will allow for your child’s attendance to remain within permissible limits and avoid intervention from the Local Authority attendance management team.
From 1 September 2013, a change to government legislation meant that schools are no longer allowed to authorise requests for children to be taken out of school for a holiday during term time. This guidance was strengthened and additional information regarding school attendance was published in August 2024 in a document named ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance‘
Requests for leave can only be granted by schools if there are exceptional circumstances. Holidays and family celebrations are not considered exceptional. Requests for leave must be made to the school Head teacher “in writing” in advance, as the Department for Education has told schools that they cannot authorise any absences after they have been taken. A penalty notice may be issued to parents or carers if they fail to ensure that their child/ren attends school regularly. Leeds City Council is responsible for issuing penalty notices on behalf of schools in the city.
The following documentation outlines for families the changes to the Penalty Notice procedures.
We are proud that attendance at Harewood is good and is consistently above the National Average. This aids the ability of the children to learn and retain the key skills and knowledge that they will need to do well in life.
If you require your child to miss school for a reason other than illness please complete the form below or download and complete an Exceptional Leave form. This should be returned to the school office.
PDF Version
Word Version
Copies of the full Attendance Policy can be found on our Policies Page
If your child is ill and unable to attend school, please ring the school office on 01132886394 and leave a message
or
send an email to [email protected] before 9am.