P-04-576 Allow Children in Wales to Have a Family Holiday During Term Time – Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Clerking Team, 09.03.17

Dear Kathryn,

Thank you for contacting me about this matter, I would like to thank the petitions committee for their help and support with this.

Unfortunately I have to tell you that there is still a problem, we are being contacted by parents that are being told that head teachers no longer have the right to allow holidays in term time, and that the 'H' code is still being withheld and does not appear on leave forms, this means that the head teacher only has the code for 'unauthorised leave' to put down on their records. Parents are also being told that schools are required to inform the education authority that unauthorised leave was taken, which is very intimidating and unpleasant. 

I have attached a copy of a form that is currently being given to parents that ask for leave in the Rhondda Cynon Taff area, I apologise for the poor quality of the picture but the words can be made out quite easily. Sadly I have to come to the conclusion that there is an ongoing problem, with the education authorities holding parents, children, the law and the Welsh Assembly in contempt.

Best wishes Beth