Service Description: The Law states that parents of a child of compulsory school age must ensure that he/she receives full-time education and if a child fails to attend punctually and regularly then his/her parents are guilty of an offence.
Also known as:- Absences, Fixed Penalty Notices (Education), Parent Prosecution, Truancy
Answer: Under the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995, head teachers are able to grant up to ten school days authorised absence for the purpose of holidays during term time. Save in exceptional circumstances, a parent shall not be granted more than ten school days leave of absence in any school year. It is for head teachers to determine whether or not such a request is reasonable. Each request can only be judged on a case-by-case basis but it is usual that head teachers will be sparing in their use of this discretion. If there is a further period of unauthorised holiday during the same academic year, the Education Welfare Service may serve a fixed penalty notice without any further recourse to assessment or casework with the pupil/family. http://eduwight.iow.gov.uk/the_lea/admin/educatio.asp - Related Link