Policies and information

I’ve included East Ayrshire’s guidance relating to holiday absences (at end of post). If you write a letter addressed to myself and the class teacher it will be passed to the office. We record this in the school system.

Due to the avoidable disruption to children’s education caused by family holidays in term time, the Scottish Executive issued a circular on attendance and absence in 2003. This national circular makes it clear that without the prior agreement of the school, family holidays will be classified as unauthorised absence. Schools will only give such agreement in exceptional circumstances related to the wellbeing of the family. Within the terms of the national circular, reasons which are not acceptable include:

availability of cheap holidays or desired accommodation
poor weather in school holidays
holidays overlapping the end of term
parental difficulty in obtaining leave (except in specific circumstances)
We seek your fullest co-operation in communicating to all young people the value of their time at school, by ensuring that no learning and teaching is lost through unnecessary and avoidable absence. Parents may request their children be permitted absence from school to make an extended visit to relatives. Only written requests detailing the destination, the duration and the provision that will be made for their continuing education will be granted. The pupil will then be noted as an authorised absentee in the register. With no explanation from the parent, the absence is unauthorised.

says:

September 28, 2016 at 3:38 pm

Thank you for your prompt response and clarification on this matter. I will write letters to both yourself and the class teacher and submit these in due course. I would never normally encourage absence from school but this is a complete one off as previously mentioned for a family wedding which takes place during the day on the Friday where my whole family is integral to the wedding proceedings.

Kind regards

Gillian Grant

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