Leave of absence

Rules for leave of absence from school for students outside of school holidays and official days off in the school schedule:

A student’s individual right to attend school is part of Norwegian Law. The school is not allowed to grant permission for children to be absent from school outside very exceptional circumstances. Parents are asked to be aware of this, especially when making holiday and travel bookings.

Parents should not make travel arrangements outside of school holidays before an application for leave of absence has been approved.

When it is justifiable the school can give a student leave of absence from the mandatory teaching for up to two weeks (Opplæringsloven §2-11). The school is not able to give leave of absence for more than two weeks under any circumstances. The condition for a leave is that the parents make sure that the student is following the teaching plan according to his/her class, and that he/she is up to date with what the class has been doing during her/his leave of absence.

Approval for absences other than for illness and permissible under the Norwegian Education Act must be requested from the school and approved by the school management. Religious celebrations for religious communities outside of the Church of Norway will be granted leave of absence upon application. Leave of absence for family holidays will not be permitted.

The decision-making authority in cases concerning leaves of absence is the principal. The Education Act does not specify the qualifying criteria for assessing applications for leave of absence. Nor does it govern a number of leaves a pupil may be granted during the school year. The condition laid down by the Education Act is that a leave of absence may be granted “when it is deemed appropriate”. Each application will be evaluated according to the best judgement of the school administration and in dialogue with the parents of the student. The parents will be promptly notified of the decision of the school.

Parents have the right to appeal the decision of the school Principal to the Governor of the county (Fylkesmannen i Møre og Romsdal).

§2-11 of The Education Act (Opplæringsloven)

states “Leave of absence from compulsory education”.When defensible, the municipality [the School Management] may upon receipt of an application grant individual pupils leave of absence for up to two weeks. Pupils who belong to a religious community outside the Church of Norway have, upon application, the right to be absent from school on those days their religious community celebrates as holy. This right is conditional upon the parents ensuring necessary tuition during the period of leave, so that the pupil is able to keep pace with the ordinary teaching when the period of leave is at an end.

§ 3-13 of The Independent School Act (Friskoleloven)

states: “When appropriate, the school can grant the student a leave of absence for up to two weeks. Decisions are made based on “Forvaltningsloven” and are given as Single Rights Decisions (enkeltvedtak) according § 2. Complaints must be forwarded to the Department of Education.”

§ 2-1 of the Education Act (Opplæringsloven):

Rights and obligations for primary school education states in the fifth paragraph: “If a pupil is absent without permission from compulsory tuition, his or her parents or those who have the care responsibility for the child may be liable to fines if the absence is a result of deliberate or negligent actions by them. Public prosecution is not instituted unless so decided by the municipality.”