It is every parent’s legal responsibility to ensure that their children attend full time school regularly and punctually between the ages of 5 and 16 years (the school of course expects this from the Under 5’s as well!). Schools are required by law to keep and publish records of attendance and absence. The government have now directed schools to deter parents from taking holidays in term time and can even fine parents who do so. There are exceptions such as bereavement or a family wedding. For all absences we have a ‘Leave of Absence’ form rather than a Holiday form and any time taken out of term time will be recorded as unauthorised absence.
Often schools are helpful in preventing tragedies by reporting unexpected absences to the correct authorities. The school has an agreed policy not to set (or mark) work for children on holiday.
These may be due to illness, a medical/dental appointment or another pressing reason. These absences must be notified to the school either by telephone, in writing or in person and they will be recorded as an authorised absence otherwise the absence will count as an unauthorised absence on your child’s records (which is counted as a truancy).
If the school has not had notification of an absence then the school’s Education Support Manager, Debbie Cook, will contact the various numbers we hold until someone answers and we receive information on where your child is. If no such information is forthcoming then we immediately alert the relevant authority, usually the Police. Such action is for the health and safety of your child as it prevents home from thinking they are at school and school from thinking they are off at home. There may be occasions when you have let the school know but still get a call – in which case, apologies, it is better to be safe than sorry!
If your child has an extended absence is due to a serious illness/operation then please do let the school know immediately and the school may be able to arrange a tutor to visit your child to keep them up to date with their school work.
100% attendance certificates are awarded in assembly on a termly basis to all children who achieve this for a whole term. Children with 100% attendance for a year receive a prize at the end of the year.
The class with the greatest overall average attendance for a term receive a cup in recognition of their achievement which they can keep in their classroom for the following term. The class is pictured in the newsletter and the electronic parental information noticeboard in the school entrance hall.
Your child’s individual attendance figures will be published in the end of year report which details the number and type of absence and also any late arrivals. The school’s attendance policy is available on the policy carousels in the school’s entrance hall.
