Attendance

Attendance

It is a legal requirement that all parents ensure that their children attend school regularly.  They should also ensure that they arrive on time, correctly dressed and in a condition to learn.  It is only the School within the context of the law that can approve absence, not parents.  Therefore, only the School can decide whether an absence is authorised or unauthorised.  This has to be recorded in the attendance register against the child's record of attendance.

Reporting Absences

It is the parents’ responsibility to inform the School of their child's unexpected absence as soon as possible.  Please could parents either telephone or send a message with another parent/child on the first day of absence.  If your child is ill, the School should be notified of the nature of the illness and when your child is expected to be able to return to school.  It is important that on their return to school you give your child a note explaining the absence.  Although we appreciate you will have informed us of the nature of the absence we require a letter (which can be very brief just outlining the reason for absence) for our records.  If we do not receive information on the reason for absence, then the absence will be classed as unauthorised in the register and on your child’s report.

Please note that if we have not been contacted by you, it is part of our school policy for a member of the Admin Team to contact parents on the first day of absence to enquire about your child’s absence, which also ensures that your child is safe and has not set out to School and failed to arrive.

Request for Permission for Absence during Term Time

2013 amendments to the 2006 regulations make clear that Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time, unless there are exceptional circumstances. 

Regular Attendance

The School expects all pupils to be punctual and in full time regular attendance at school for each session that the School is open and requires them to attend.

Persistent Absence

Government regulations relating to attendance mean that a child becomes a “persistent absentee” if they miss 10% or more of schooling across the year for whatever reason. Therefore, a pupil is considered to have persistent absence if their attendance falls below 90%. Absence at this level is likely to affect achievement.

This change came about partly because to have 85% attendance (the previous Persistent Absence Threshold) means a pupil had to be absent for 56 sessions (28 days) of school. This is a great deal of schooling to miss and, in the Government’s opinion, set the bar too low in this respect.

Remember one session equals half a school day. Each school day is 2 sessions. A child who has 2 school weeks away has missed 20 sessions.

Start of the day - Registration

Arrival slot - Years 1 - 6 need to arrive between 8.30am – 8.40am and must be in their class for 8.45am when the register is taken.

Registers are taken between 8.45am and 8.50am.

Children arriving during that 5-minute slot are marked late within registration.

Children arriving after that time will be marked by the office as an unauthorised absence, as lessons will have started.

Reception children should arrive between 8.45am and 8.55am.

The register is taken between 8.55am and 9am.

Children arriving after 9am will be recorded as unauthorised absences.