Term Dates

Please note: our holiday dates do not always align with the dates given out by the Local Authority. Sometimes 3rd party websites also give out incorrect holiday dates for our Academy. This site is the only official source for our school holidays. 

Important Information on Attendance & Holidays – Fixed Penalty Notices

A major barrier to better attendance in the Academy continues to be families taking term time holidays. Whilst we recognise and understand some of the reasons families may take term time holidays, we need to be proactive in improving attendance. In an effort to do so we balloted parents as to whether they were in favour of amending the term dates to include an extra week’s holiday in October. 78.8% returned in favour of doing so, which is why we now have a 2 week October half-term break.

In the ballot letter to parents we also stated that “should this ballot return a ‘Yes’ majority, any families then found to be taking children out of school for a term time holiday for any significant period of time would likely have fixed penalty notice procedures issued against them”.

Therefore, if any family takes an unauthorised holiday of 5 days or more, or any holiday without notifying the school properly in advance, we will make an application to Lincolnshire County Council to issue a fixed penalty notice. Your local council can give each parent a fine of £60 for each child absent, which rises to £120 each if you do not pay within 21 days. If you do not pay the fine after 28 days you may be prosecuted for your child’s absence from school.

Please note: this is not something to school wants to have to do. Historically we have requested several fixed penalty notices be issued to some families for reasons of on-going poor attendance and for term time holidays taken without proper notification. It creates a lot of work for us in school and we do not receive any of the money generated from it.

Term-time Holidays in Exceptional Circumstances

On rare occasions a term-time holiday may be authorised. It is the decision of the Headteacher as to what might constitute exceptional circumstances and each request for term time leave will be considered on an individual basis. 

Exceptional leave is NOT:

• • • • Availability of cheap flights and/or holidays

      • Availability of desired accommodation

      • Parent/carer work commitments

      • Poor weather experienced during school holiday periods

      • Overlap with the beginning or end of term, half term.

Exceptional leave MAY be:

• Parent, grandparent or other close relative is seriously ill – and you must leave in an emergency

• Significant trauma in the family recently and a holiday will benefit the child – this must be backed up by a doctor’s letter

• A one-off, never to be repeated occasion that can only happen at that time, e.g. family wedding/funeral

For more information please visit:   www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence