Attendance

Introduction

Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children receive full time education. Regular attendance is essential if children are to progress with their learning.

Research has proven a clear link between regular attendance at school and pupil attainment. Our target for every child’s attendance is 100%. In addition, we are committed to establishing and promoting good attendance habits as a life skill and an integral part of being a successful young person or adult.

Here in school our emphasis on good attendance is promoted through regular celebration assemblies and associated rewards system.

Absence

Please inform the school by 9.30am by phone, email, or in person, if your child is unwell and unable to attend school. We will ring if your child is absent from school and we have not received notification. If no reason for absence is received, in line with our attendance policy and safeguarding procedures, the attendance officer will phone parents and a home visit may be made. If contact is unsuccessful, the absence will be unauthorised.

Please also notify us if your child has a medical appointment.

Holidays in term time

Schools have no authority to authorise absence for a family holiday during term time.

Any such absence is unauthorised. We would appreciate advanced notification of any absence wherever possible so we can account for your child’s absence without needing to call or text you.

Holidays in term time

Please consider the following:

While you are away for 1 week your child will miss approximately:

• 5 hours of maths

• 5 hours of literacy

• 10 hours of science, religious education, music, art, physical education, geography, history, design & technology and information technology

If your child has a holiday of 2 weeks during term time and has a 1 week period of sickness in one school year they will miss:

• 15 hours of literacy

• 15 hours of maths

• 30 hours of learning other subjects

If this pattern were to be repeated throughout your child’s school life they would miss 36 weeks of their education.

Thinking of taking a holiday in term time? Please think again.

Where parents do not follow the school’s procedures of submitting a request and simply remove their child without seeking prior approval, a warning may not be given and you may be liable for a penalty notice.

If your request is declined or you do not follow the correct procedure and you still take your child out of school each parent within your household may be issued with a £60 penalty notice for each child you have taken out of school. If a penalty notice remains unpaid after 21 days it will increase to £120. If after 28 days it remains unpaid you may be summonsed to appear before Magistrates to explain why your child has unauthorised school absences and you may be liable for a fine of up to £1000.

Punctuality

Punctuality is important and late arrivals disrupt the routines of the school, as well as missing important learning at the start of the school day. We would therefore request that parents make every effort to ensure their child/children are in school for 8.50am.

Cause for concern

A child is classed as a persistent absentee if their attendance drops below 90%.

Any pupil whose attendance drops below 90% (for any absence) will be closely monitored and any further drop will initiate the start of an Education Welfare Office Attendance Enforcement Procedure which can again lead to Fixed Penalty Notice Fine and/or the matter being placed before the Magistrates Court.

Should you require any attendance support, please contact Mrs R Smith. We are committed to supporting families in difficult times, especially when attendance at school is affected.