Leave outside school holidays

In principle, your child is not allowed to take leave outside of school holidays. If you do so, you are violating the Compulsory Education Act and are liable to prosecution. However, there are exceptions.

In principle, you are not allowed to take your child on vacation outside of school holidays. If you do so, you are violating the Compulsory Education Act and are liable to prosecution.  Are you unable to take a vacation during any of the school vacations in a school year due to your work? Does going on vacation during a school vacation lead to insurmountable business risks? If so, you can submit a request once per school year for leave outside of the school vacations. 

Claim for exemption

Sometimes your work prevents you from taking a vacation with your family during any of the school holidays in the school year. If you do seasonal work that makes it virtually impossible for your family to take a vacation during that period. Seasonal work is work in industries that experience peak periods. If it is demonstrably impossible to take a vacation during the school holidays, you can submit a request for leave. We refer to this request for leave outside the school holidays as an exemption request. 

Request permission

You must request written permission from the school principal. You must do this no later than 8 weeks before you go on vacation. The principal may ask you for a statement showing that you are unable to go on vacation as a family for a continuous period of 14 days during all regular school vacations. It must be reasonably foreseeable and/or demonstrated that a vacation during the school vacations will lead to insurmountable business risks. The mere fact that a significant part of the turnover is generated during the school holidays is not sufficient. The school principal decides whether your child will be granted extra time off from school. The leave period may not exceed 10 school days per year and must comply with the Requirements the Compulsory Education Act. 

Requirements

Your child can only be excused from school if: 

  • you can demonstrate that your work prevents you from taking vacation during the school holidays; 
  • the leave does not fall within the first two weeks after the summer vacation; 
  • it concerns a family vacation that does not exceed 10 school days; 
  • Going on vacation during a school holiday leads to insurmountable business risks. 

This application may only be submitted once per school year. 

Learn more

Still have questions?

If so, please contact the Public Center

Municipality of Opsterland