Request for Absence Form

The Principal (or Executive and Lead Principal) will not grant any leave of absence to pupils or students during term time unless they consider there to be 'exceptional circumstances'. A leave of absence is granted at the Principal’s discretion, including the length of time the pupil is authorised to be absent for.

Exceptional circumstances include the following:  

• acute family trauma
• terminal illness or death of a family member
• if a family member serves in the Armed Forces – Service personnel returning from a tour of duty abroad where it is evidenced the individual will not be in receipt of any leave in the near future that coincides with school holidays
• following advice from a health professional
• out of school programme such as music, arts, sport operating at an appropriate standard

The Principal considers each application for term time absence individually, taking into account the specific facts, circumstances and relevant context behind the request. A leave of absence will be granted entirely at the Principal’s discretion.  Any request should be submitted as soon as it is anticipated and, where possible, at least two weeks before the absence. The Principal may require evidence to support any request for leave of absence. 

Valid reasons for authorised absence may include: 

• Illness and medical/dental appointments – as explained in sections 3.2 and 3.3
• Religious observance – where the day is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the student’s parent/carer belongs. If necessary, the school will seek advice from the parent/carer’s religious body to confirm whether the day is set apart.
• Traveller students travelling for occupational purposes – this covers Roma, English and Welsh Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, Showmen (fairground people), and Circus people, Bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and New Travellers. Absence may be authorised only when a Traveller family is known to be travelling for occupational purposes and has agreed this with the school, but it is not known whether the student is attending educational provision.
• Part-time timetables agreed between the school and parent/carers.
• Study leave.

All requests for term-time absence will need to be made in writing by the parent/carer using the ‘Application for pupil/student leave of absence form’ (Appendix C), accessible via the school website. Link to the form is here - 

This form will then need to be completed and signed off by the Principal and emailed to office@baca-uk.co.uk 

Please download and complete the form here to request for absence.