HSV International Primary School

Leave of Absence

Families wishing to take their children out of school during term time must always submit an application to the Location Leader.

Four year olds Leave of absence is always granted for four year old children, as they have not yet reached the age of compulsory schooling. Please however, notify the class teacher, in advance of the absence. Five year olds Five year old children may be exempt from school for a maximum of five hours per week. An written application for this should be lodged in advance with the location leader.

Above the age of six Families wishing to take their children out of school during term time must return the completed Request for Leave of Absence form to the Location Leader, eight weeks in advance, with the exception of medical and dental appointments.

The Director can approve leave for up to ten school days. More than ten school days can only be decided by the Attendance Officer of the municipality where the child resides. Leave of absence is generally always granted under the following circumstances, however, we strongly recommend reading the Leave of Absence Annex from the HSV website before applying to ensure your circumstances are valid:

• Relocation (maximum 1 school day)
• Wedding: blood or marriage to the 3rd degree (in the Netherlands up to 1-2 school days, abroad up to five school days)
Supporting documentation: wedding card or copy of the marriage certificate

• Severe life-threatening disease with no prospect of recovery by blood or marriage to the 3rd degree (no maximum term)
Supporting Documentation: medical certificate or letter from a doctor

• Death of blood or marriage (the 1st degree up to five school days; the 2nd degree a maximum of two school days; the 3rd and 4th degree up to one school day. Abroad: 1st – 4th degree up to five school days Supporting Documentation: funeral card or copy of the death certificate
• 12 ½ , 25-, 40-, 50- and 60-year wedding anniversary of parent (s) /guardian (s) or grandparents. Maximum 1 school day.

Families may also apply for leave for reasons other than those stated above, but you must do so in writing eight weeks in advance. Families are entitled to take holiday leave in a situation where a family holiday during the normal school vacation is not possible, but only as a result of the specific nature of the profession of one of the parents. In such a case, a letter must accompany the appropriate form from the employer to support the application.

Please understand that the school’s administration is only empowered to grant leave ONCE in any school year for a family. The maximum for any leave authorised by school is ten school days. Outside that time allocation, requests will be channelled directly to the educational authorities.

In case of separated or divorced families where custody is shared, we require that both parents support the request for leave of absence either by having two signatures on the form or separate written correspondence supporting the request.

Note: Leave of Absence is never granted in the first two weeks of a new school year nor for the convenience (or advantageous cost) of flight bookings.

Please be reminded that school attendance is compulsory for children over five years of age and that continued absence or arriving late for school is harmful to the progress and development of the pupil. The school management is obliged by Dutch law to contact the Schools’ Attendance Officer (Leerplicht Ambtenaar) in the event of frequent absences or continual lateness and this can result in parents having to pay a fine.