Attendance Procedures (including late and absence procedures)

Children should be at school, on time, every day the school is open, unless the reason for the absence is legitimate.

Good attendance underpins a child’s success in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils who attend regularly establish good working routines and relationships which form the basis for their personal success.

Absence

The school applies the following procedures with regard to absences.

• Attendance Registers are required by law to be called twice a day; once at the commencement of the morning session and once at the commencement of the afternoon session, registers close at 9:00am and 1:00pm.

• Class teachers, the attendance officer and office staff monitor attendance records and ensure all possible absences are authorised by parental notification.

• Parents must contact the school by 9.15am every day the child is absent, please dial 01823 442832,  to provide a reasonable explanation for all absences.

• If the school has not heard from the parent by 9.15am on the day of the absence the school office will contact parents to obtain a reason for the absence.  If the school is unable to contact parents, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

• If there has been no contact with parents and the school is concerned, this may result in a home visit taking place.

• The Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher and a member of staff with responsibility for monitoring attendance will meet fortnightly.    Pupils whose attendance is below 95% or those with 10 or more sessions of unauthorised absence will be discussed at this meeting. Where appropriate, parents will be contacted by letter.

• Term time leave will not be granted unless it is due to exceptional circumstances.   A form must be completed for all term time leave and handed into the school office.

Late Arrivals

Our morning register closes at 9:00am. If the child arrives to school after this time the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. Please make every effort to be punctual so your child can settle comfortably into the school day. It can be extremely distressing for children, especially the younger ones, to be late for school as well as causing disruption for all the class. Should you be unavoidably detained, please come to the office so we sign your child into school.

Penalty Notices for Term Time Absence

Unauthorised absence relating to term-time leave being taken will be sent to the Local Authority for consideration of a penalty notice when 10 or more sessions are unauthorised.

Unauthorised absences resulting from term-time leave being taken is likely to result in the Local Authority issuing each parent with a penalty notice for each child absent from school.