Request for leave of absence not authorise - what constitutes "exceptional"?

[thetropicmama7]

I recently applied for leave of absence for my DD and DS for the 2 days before and 2 days after Christmas holidays. On the form, there were only 2 choices to tick: annual family holiday or exceptional circumstances. I requested the leave to travel overseas to attend the kids' aunt's wedding and grandad's birthday, in addition to Christmas and New Year's. We cannot afford to travel long haul often to visit my family so this trip certainly isn't annual. However, I did not think it was exceptional as it wasn't like it was something like medical treatment or bereavement, so I ticked family holiday. My request was refused despite me providing information as to the nature of the trip. Has this happened to anyone? Surely the couple of days before and after the holiday season does not have as much impact as other times within the term (calendar says christmas performance and party within these days). My DS has had 2 days off ill in the last 4 years, my DD has pefect attendance. Both have no issues academically and one is actually streamed to the year above in one subject. Can I appeal the decision and still appear reasonable?

Well, you can try to persuade your HT (the relevant law states it is HT's discretion, so there is no other body involved).

But is it going to be worth it? You are very unlikely to be fined (but check your LEA policy) for a single two-day absence, and as you say that you will not be taking them out again in term time it really isn't gong to matter in the long run.

Agree that you don't need to worry - if attendance is otherwise good then you're unlikely to dip below the percentage attendance threshold that would trigger a fine.

And tbh "exceptional circumstances" is usually more than a grandad's birthday/aunt's wedding, IYSWIM. That's not exceptional enough.

This sounds normal to me, they will consider it a family holiday & an aunt isn't 'sufficiently close enough' to warrant days off me bitter? no

You can appeal it but they are unlikely to change their minds, the criteria are draconian. I agree with Edith it may be worth looking into the consequences if you go anyway.

Did you attach a separate page explaining what you said in your post?
Personally I would have ticked exceptional circumstances and explained in detail.
How old are your DC?

Thank you so much for your replies.. They are very useful as I wanted to gauge whether I would be seen as a bit OTT if I try to reason with HT. My DC are 8 and 5 are doing quite well academically, and with very good attendance record. Perhaps my mistake was not providing enough information on the form. Normally I would agree with birthday and weddings as not being completely exceptional, however, I think I would try to kindly convince HT as we can rarely make this 18 hour trip and the cost is very considerable. We do not travel annually and the last time I made a similar request was 2 years ago--the request was authorised quickly back then (different HT).

I don't think you'll get anywhere on an appeal. I'd accept that the absence is unauthorised and decide what you want to do. If you don't mind a fine then go, if you think it will be your only absence in the year then you're unlikely to be fined.

I was just reading that in one area unauthorised absences had gone up by about 75% in the last year but actual absences had actually decreased under the new rules.

Unauthorised is just a description, you can still take the holiday.

I would appeal on the grounds that Christmas is an inportant religious festival that you wish to spend with your family abroad. We also have immediate family abroad, not Christian but Muslim and our head master will authorise leave for visits over Eid.

Rather than saying that it's your child's aunt's wedding, I would take the line that it's your sister's. I know it sounds a petty difference, but really it's about you going to see your immediate family and your child going with you, not your child visiting extended family. No idea if that would change anything.

Why do you need to appeal? The absence might be unauthorised, but that doesn't mean you can't still go.

OP, the timing if the trip, and your DCs attendance record, does not influence whether or not the circumstances are exceptional. The Head has to decide whether or not the trip is exceptional irrespective of their attendance record and timing.

The timing if the trip, and your DCs attendance record may well influence the Headteachers decision whether or not to issue a fine after the trip has taken place - although the school policy will have to be followed.

Immediate family wedding/funerals are really the only thing being authorised at ours.

Resubmit the form and take exceptional circumstances. This is just absolutely ridiculous. Next time just tell a lie and say it's your sister's wedding. I don't usually agree with lies but this policy has made it necessary.

Thank you, I am planning to resubmit the form tomorrow and tick exceptional circumstances as the more I think about it, and also all your invaluable comments, I do think I have good grounds. It is the wedding of my only sister, and my dad is turning 60 only once. My immediate family are lucky to get to see my DC once every 2 years. I will attach evidence of the date of the wedding and dob of my dad. I hope that they will see that if we leave on the last day of the term, we will arrive on the day of the wedding itself which is ridiculous. If the HT deems it still not enough to be authorised, then I suppose so be it

If the HT deems it still not enough to be authorised, then I suppose so be it

It's really not an issue if your DCs have had an unauthorised absence, though. They don't get penalised in any way.
The only time it will ever be considered is if you have a subsequent unauthorised absence - it may be a factor in deciding whether or not to issue a fine at that point.

Assuming you're willing to take that risk, I really wouldn't worry about whether it's authorised or not - the reality is that it makes no difference to you or your DCs. It is the school which is penalised if the unauthorised absence is high.

This post for me is another reason why these rules don't work.

Check rules on fining but otherwise just go. You know your children'd education is not going to be damaged by this trip and a lot to gain.

HT may have her hands tied in not authorising it doesn't mean she doesn't think you should go simply she can't verbalise it.