"Rare, significant, unavoidable and short", are what the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) identifies as the fundamental principles for defining "exceptional".
The union's leaflet, Guidance on Authorised Absence in Schools, aims to give some coherent guidance for headteachers struggling to find the balance between meeting attendance thresholds and maintaining relationships with parents.
The document contains clear, concise advice and the statement, "If an event can reasonably be scheduled outside of term time then it would not be normal to authorise absence", is a useful arbiter.
However, as the guidance points out, it has no statutory authority and heads continue to be faced with the responsibility of making these decisions themselves.
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