Guidance on absence for religious holidays

The request was successful.

Dear Manchester City Council,

Please would you tell me what guidance you give to governors and headteachers on handling pupil absences from schools when a pupil is observing a religious festival.

Specifically, under what circumstances would you advise that such absences be treated as unauthorised.

With thanks,

Yours faithfully,

Julian Taylor

Manchester City Council

Dear Julian Taylor,

Re: Request for Information - Guidance on absence for religious holidays -
Reference Number: CHS/849KCS

Thank you for your request for information, which was received by
Manchester City Council on 6 April 2010.

It may take up to 20 working days (approximately four weeks) for the
Council to consider your request and to provide a formal response. If
this timescale needs to be extended to consider an exemption you will be
notified and kept informed.

If you have any queries, please contact me on the number above.

Yours sincerely,

Anne Whitwam
Administrative Officer
Customer & Business Support
Manchester City Council Children's Services
Overseas House
Quay Street
Manchester, M3 3BB
Tel: 0161 234 7374
Internal: 801 7374
Textphone: 0161 234 7452
Fax: 0161 274 7070
Email: [email address]

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Manchester City Council

2 Attachments

Dear Julian Taylor,

Re: Request for Information - Guidance on absence for religious holidays -
Reference Number: CHS/849KCS

Thank you for your request for information, which was received by
Manchester City Council on 6 April 2010 and has been considered under the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

You asked:

Please would you tell me what guidance you give to governors and
headteachers on handling pupil absences from schools when a pupil is
observing a religious festival.

Specifically, under what circumstances would you advise that such absences
be treated as unauthorised.

In response to your request, I have summarised the information as follows.

Manchester City Council issued guidance to schools on this matter in 2009
and I attach hereto the relevant copies.

This information may be subject to copyright. Freedom of Information does
not give you an automatic right to re-use this information in a way that
would infringe copyright, for example, by publishing the information or
making multiple copies.

Please note if you are not satisfied with this response you may ask for an
internal review. If you wish to complain you should contact me in the
first instance.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision.

The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF .

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

Yours sincerely,

Jenny Andrews
Head of Education Services
(Strategic Inclusion)
Children's Services
Overseas House
Quay Street
Manchester M3 3BB
Tel: 0161 234 7014
Internal 801 7014
Fax: 0161 274 7086
E-mail [email address]

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