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Requesting a Leave of Absence

Absences Requiring an Appointment Card or a Signed Note from Home

The following absences from school require an appointment card, written note or an email from a parent/carer (attendance@fortismere.org.uk  also cc’ing the form tutor), which then need to be handed in to our Attendance Administrator, in South Wing reception, as soon as possible before the absence.

  • Medical Appointment – hospital/orthodontist - half a day only
  • Music exam - half a day only
  • Language exam - half a day only
  • Ballet exam - half a day only
  • Local funerals - half a day only
  • Religious festivals

It is expected that doctor and dental appointments, with the exceptions of emergencies, are made outside of school hours.

Illnesses and emergencies must still be phoned in on 020 8365 4429 or emailed to attendance@fortismere.org.uk  on the day of absence, followed by a letter on the student's return to school, handed to their Form Tutor.

Request for Absence Outside of the Above List

Leave of Absence form

If you need to request time off for your child during the school term for any reason other than those shown above please fill in the online Leave of Absence form. In order to complete this form you must have access to your child’s Go4Schools account to transfer their attendance percentage. Paper copies can also be collected from either South Wing or North Wing office.

Process

  1. Fill out the online form using the attendance data found on your child’s Go4Schools page
  2. Your child’s Head of College will then check your form, in particular verifying the  attendance percentage and making comment on your application.
  3. The Form is then handed in to the Co-Headteachers to verify the request for absence or not.
  4. A letter will go out to the parent/carer from the office.

*Please note that from September 2013 authorised leave will only be considered for students with attendance of 97% or more.

Please place requests as much in advance as possible in order for requests to flow through our system in time.

It is school policy (except in extreme circumstances) that we will not grant permission for taking students out of school for a holiday, trip or any other purpose during the term-time. This is to ensure continuity of teaching and learning for all students. We always need to take into account the effect an absence would have on a childs’ education and ability to progress and achieve. Any previous absence will also be taken into account.

If a request is confirmed by the school then failure to return to school on the specified date will result in those days being regarded as unauthorised absence and may result in the issue of a fixed penalty, prosecution in accordance with section 444 of the 1996 Education Act.

Parents will also be able to see if a student’s absence has been authorised on Go4Schools.