Redhill Primary School works closely with Telford & Wrekin Council Attendance Support team to ensure we continue with our fantastic attendance records. We recommend all parents and carers read the below letter before considering taking their child out of education in term time. For more support or advice please contact: Attendance Support, The Glebe Centre, Wellington, Telford, TF1 1JP Ref: Holiday Requests‘Parents should apply to the Head teacher for any request for leave in term time by completing a request form available from school. (DFE guidance states schools should not authorise leave retrospectively)’. The Government has renewed appeals to parents not to take their children out of school during term time. The Governors and Head teacher of the school support this and have decided that students will only be given permission to take leave in term time if there are exceptional circumstances. Each application will be considered and the Head teacher will determine the duration of any leave if it is agreed and authorised. However, if the application is not agreed and the absence occurs the dates will be unauthorised. Parents will be notified of any decision in writing. This notification may be hand delivered directly to the parent or posted to the parents' home address. As a school we are asked to inform you that, in line with Telford and Wrekin Council Policy, unauthorised absence may be subject to a penalty notice fine of £60 payable per parent, per child, increasing to £120 each if not paid within 21 days. If this fine is not paid within 28 days this may lead to court proceedings. We would like to thank parents for their continued support in considering that their child’s education is too important to take holidays during term time. We do however, understand that exceptions do occur and will look at these individually. As you may be aware, holiday requests for children to go on holiday within term time are not authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances which have been clearly stated. Previously, it has been Telford and Wrekin’s policy not to fine parents for holidays taken of ten days or less even though the absence has been unauthorised. From September 2013, Telford and Wrekin are amending the criteria relating to the issuing of Holiday Penalty Notices, to fall in line with neighbouring authorities. It has been agreed by Senior Managers and Cabinet Members that Penalty Notices will be issued for absences arising from holidays for a minimum of 10 consecutive sessions’ absence (five days). Holiday penalty notices can be issued for each and every absence in term time as long as each one is a minimum of 10 consecutive sessions. Where a child is absent from school through illness, but after enquiries it may be deemed that they are on holiday, a home visit may be made to ascertain that the child is not on holiday. Fines will still be issued if these instances occur. We would like to thank parents for their continued support in considering that their child’s education is too important to take holidays during term time. We do however, understand that exceptions do occur and will look at these individually.If you would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. Yours faithfully Claire WhitingHeadteacher