Attendance & Leave of Absence Requests

Why Regular Attendance Matters

Excellent attendance is the foundation of your child’s educational success, well-being, and social development. Being in school every day ensures children build strong friendships, stay engaged with our exciting curriculum, and develop the essential learning behaviors needed to thrive. To support every child in reaching their full potential, Henry Hinde School strives for a whole-school attendance rate of 96% or above. We are deeply committed to narrowing attendance gaps for all learners. 

How We Support You and Your Child

Attendance is a partnership between home and school, and we are here to support your family every step of the way. We take a proactive approach to ensure no child slips through the net: every pupil whose attendance falls below 95% receives early intervention within 10 school days, and any pupil facing persistent absence is supported through a tailored Attend Framework APDR (Assess, Plan, Do, Review) plan. Behind the scenes, our weekly attendance and safeguarding team monitors emerging concerns to provide timely help for vulnerable children, working toward a 50% reduction in severe absence from our September baseline. Through open communication, regular feedback, and strong collaborative support, we aim to build parents’ confidence and ensure every child enjoys a successful, consistent journey through school.

Term-Time Leave of Absence Guidelines

As part of our commitment to your child's continuous education, Henry Hinde School strictly follows Warwickshire County Council guidelines regarding term-time leave. The Supreme Court clarifies that attending school "regularly" means attending on every day school is required.

How to Request a Leave of Absence: 

• Advance Permission: Applications must be submitted in advance by the resident parent. Absence cannot be approved retrospectively. See the attached file to complete and submit to office@henryhinde.tlet.org.uk
• Exceptional Circumstances Only: By law, Headteachers may only authorise leave for truly exceptional circumstances. Standard family holidays or leisure activities will not be authorised.
• Confirmation: It is the parent's responsibility to confirm whether the leave has been authorized prior to taking time off.

Unauthorised Absence & Penalty Notices
Any leave taken without prior approval, or where a request was refused, will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and referred to the Warwickshire Attendance Service.

Penalty Notices are issued per parent, per child:

• First Offence: £160 per parent, per child (reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days).
• Second Offence (within 3 years): £160 per parent, per child (no reduction period available).
• Third Offence (within 3 years): Penalty Notices will not be issued; the matter will be referred directly to Warwickshire County Council's Legal Services for consideration of criminal prosecution under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996.