Absences

If you are reporting your child is absent from school, for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible by calling the school on 020 8946 6666 and leaving a message on the absence line.

APPLYING FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE DURING TERM TIME 

The Governors of Bishop Gilpin Primary School believe that pupils’ absence from school during term time should be avoided wherever possible as it interrupts the continuity of teaching and learning and disrupts the educational progress of pupils.

However, the school recognises that on rare occasions there may be exceptional circumstances that justify a child being absent from school. Examples might include religious observance, being educated at another site, medical appointments, interviews, or external examinations.

Government legislation states that headteachers may not authorise any request for absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Legislation also states that headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the request for absence is authorised.

If you wish to apply for leave of absence during term time you should complete the Leave of Absence form, and provide supporting documentation as necessary. The request will be considered and you will receive a response within one week.

If the school does not authorise the request but you still take your child out of school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.   It should be noted that some secondary schools request attendance information as part of their application process.  In some cases, the school may notify the Educational Welfare Officer at the Local Authority about your child’s absence if it is unauthorised.

Bishop Gilpin School is committed to promoting good attendance as it has been shown that regular attendance has an impact on a child’s ability to learn and their overall achievement.