Attendance

Attendance: “Every Day Counts and Every Child Matters!”

(For more details about attendance – please see the School’s Attendance Policy as agreed by the Governing Body)

Parents have a legal duty to ensure the regular and full time attendance at school of registered  pupils (Education Act 1996). This policy is based on the law and on best practice guidance produced by the DfE and the Local Authority. The school aims to work with families to promote good attendance and avoid legal action.

We aim to maintain absence rates at a minimum rate and therefore parents’ and pupils’ awareness of the value of regular attendance is important because statistics prove that regular attendance benefits pupils academically, socially, emotionally and enables them to progress through the school system more easily.

• Ensuring your child attends school regularly
• Telephoning on the first morning of any absence to give us the reason and tell us when the child is likely to return to school
• Arranging all non-emergency medical appointments out of school hours or during school holidays
• Sending us a note confirming the reason for your child’s absence when he/she returns to school.
• Supporting frequent absence claimed as illness with medical evidence
• Keeping us updated by telephone or letter if your child has any extended period of absence
• Making sure we always have your current contact numbers; this includes all telephone numbers, child minders and emergency contact details
• We shall follow up unexplained absences with phone calls and letters as necessary

Some absences are allowed by law and are known as authorised absences. For example: if a child is ill, family bereavement, religious observance.

Requests for foreseeable absences (e.g. appointments) or for exceptional leave should be made in advance in writing to the Headteacher at least 2 weeks before the requested date.

There are times when children are absent for reasons which are not permitted by law. These are known as unauthorised absences. Examples of unauthorised absence are: taking or collecting a relative to/from the airport, going for a family day out , forgetting what day is the first day of term, term time holiday/cheap flights.

We are always concerned about the amount of school time pupils miss as a result of term time leave. There is no entitlement to extended absence through time off during term time. Leave of absence is only granted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Headteacher in accordance with the school policy as agreed by the Governing Body.

Unauthorised Absences are reported to the Local Authority and can result in a Fixed Penalty Fine or other legal action.

Attendance letter

Leave of Absence Leaflet

If your child comes in by school bus, you must ensure your child is ready for it in the morning.

It is important to be on time as the first part of the school day is used to give out instructions or organise school work for the rest that day.

Morning registration is at 8.45 am. This is the time your child must be in school.

If you are bringing your child in to school late for any reason, you must report in to the school office so that your child can be marked as present in the building.

If you collect your child from school, please collect your child promptly at the end of the school day by 3.05 pm.