Reporting an Absence

If your child is unable to attend school or college due to illness, a medical appointment or for any other reason, please notify the school office by 8:45am.

This can be done either by sending an email to admin@knightsfield.herts.sch.uk, calling the School Office on 01707 376 874 or via the school mobile on WhatsApp / message on 07708 393864

Illness

If your child is unwell and you are unsure if they should attend school, please see the attached NHS guidance.

Is my child too ill for school?

Head Lice

If you suspect your child has head lice please see the guidance below

Once a Week Take a Peek!

Term Time Absences

Due to Government and Local Authority legislation, Headteachers and schools are unable to authorise term time holidays.

Application For Term Time Absence

Helping Parents Understand Penalty Notice Fines For School Attendance

A single consistent national threshold for when a Penalty Notice must be considered by ALL schools in England, this is:

  • 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period.
  • These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence.
  • For example, a 5-day unauthorised leave of absence would meet the national threshold.
  • The 10-school week period can span different terms or school years.

The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence, the fine amount will be:

  • £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
  • If not paid within 21 days, the fine will increase to £160 per parent, per child, payable between the 22nd and 28th day.

The law does not allow term time holidays to be authorised unless there are exceptional, unrepeatable circumstances.

Exceptional circumstances are defined as;

‘For service personnel and other employees prevented in taking holidays outside term-time if the holiday will have minimal disruption to the pupil’s education’; and when the family needs to spend more time together to support each other after a crisis’.

The Department for Education and Skills expects schools to actively discourage all holidays during term-time.

Section 7 Education Act 1996 places a duty on parents to ensure that their child of compulsory age attends school.

Term time holidays have a negative impact on friendships and learning. Please avoid taking your child out of school.