Holidays & Absence

Every School Day Counts!

At Much Wenlock Primary School and Nursery, we know that good attendance has a direct impact on how much children enjoy school, how well they achieve, and how prepared they are for future education and work. We work hard to make learning fun, engaging, and exciting—so children look forward to being in school each day.

For more detailed information, please see our attendance policy: Attendance Policy 2025-2026

Attendance Procedure: COMING SOON

Why Attendance Matters

There are 190 statutory school days in a year, leaving 175 days (including weekends and holidays) for family time, holidays, and appointments. We ask all families to prioritise school attendance and avoid taking holidays during term time.

To understand more about school attendance and absence, including holiday guidance, visit:
School Attendance & Absence (gov.uk)

Requesting Leave of Absence

Any leave during term time must be requested in advance using our Special Leave of Absence Form. Leave will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. The Headteacher will consider:

• Your child’s age and stage of education
• The time of year (e.g. SATs or transition periods)
• The reason for the absence
• Previous attendance records

Please note:
If the leave is not authorised and you still choose to take your child out of school, it will be marked as unauthorised. This may result in a Truancy Penalty Notice (TPN) of £60 (rising to £120) per parent, per child.

TPNs are considered criminal offences and may lead to prosecution and a criminal record.
We strongly advise against factoring in a penalty notice as part of holiday cost calculations.

You can download the request form here:
Request form for Pupil Leave of Absence in Term Time 2025

Please email the completed form to the school office (info@wps.318education.co.uk)

Alternatively, paper copies are available from the school office.

Attendance and Punctuality

We know that children with the best attendance achieve the best results. Arriving on time helps children:

• Settle into the school day calmly
• Join in with key phonics, reading, and learning routines
• Feel part of the class community

Children should be in their classroom by 8:35am, ready for registration at 8:45am.

Even just 10 minutes late each day adds up to over 6 days of lost learning across a school year.

Please consider the message regular lateness or absence gives to your child about the importance of education. We want to instil pride in learning and help our children build the habits they need for secondary school and beyond.

If you’re experiencing difficulties getting to school on time, please talk to us. We’re here to help and will work with you to understand any barriers and provide support or flexibility where needed.

Holidays in Term Time – Procedure

1. Parents/carers complete the Request for Leave of Absence form (above) at least one week in advance.
2. The school will respond (ideally within 5 working days) to confirm if the request is authorised.
3. If not authorised, a copy of the response may be shared with the Education Welfare Officer (EWO), and a Holidays in Term Time (HITT) warning notice may be issued.
4. If a holiday is taken following a warning and meets the criteria in the Code of Conduct, a TPN may be issued.
5. If the TPN is not paid, the Local Authority may prosecute for the absence.

Let’s Work Together

Good attendance sets children up for success. Please support us in:

• Using school holidays for trips and family time
• Prioritising every school day
• Talking to us early if you’re struggling—we’re here to help

You can report your child’s absence by emailing the school office (info@wps.318education.co.uk) or phoning 01952 727634 before 9am.