You may be aware of the considerable amount of publicity concerning the issue of parents removing their children from school in order to take family holidays.
The law states that parents DO NOT have the right to do this and only in EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES may the Headteacher authorise any leave. Holidays taken during term term will therefore be classed as unauthorised absence and will impact on your child's attendance record (which the LA regularly checks).
Request for Exceptional Leave Form
Attendance and Punctuality Charter
Persistent absence:
PA is absence from school for 10% or more of the time that they could have attended. Ofsted will always ask for PA figures.
The absences can be authorised or unauthorised, it is the total absence that counts.
Wigan Council Links:
What to do if your child is off school:
http://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Education/Schools/School-Attendance/SchoolAttendance.aspx
Legal Proceedings for Non-Attendance: