Attendance Support

Somerset Council works with schools and families to support good school attendance.  

New statutory guidance places a range of duties on schools to support pupils overcome barriers to attendance, including the use of targeted and external support, as needed. 

Where appropriate, the Education Engagement Service will support these efforts and engage in the Team Around the Family.  

The use of statutory frameworks, including prosecution, will be considered where efforts to support fail and it is necessary to do so.  

Term-time absence

To do well, children and young people need to attend school. There is 14 complete weeks’ holiday in a school year and family holidays should be taken during these school holiday periods so that children’s education is not disrupted.

Parents and carers may request leave during term time and the decision to authorise these requests rests with the child’s headteacher.

Requests are usually only authorised where there are exceptional circumstances preventing the holiday from being taken outside of term time.

For more information please follow the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance