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Attendance Matters
Attendance Matters
At Barling Magna, we believe that building good attendance habits from an early age is vital. Attending school every day, unless genuinely unwell, not only supports academic success but also sets children up with the right mindset for the world of work.
Just as employers expect punctuality and reliability, we aim to instill these values now to give our pupils the best start in life.
We take a supportive approach to attendance and work closely with families to overcome any barriers. Here’s how we encourage and celebrate good attendance:
Weekly rewards for the House team with the best attendance
Attendance winners shared in our weekly newsletter
100% attendance awards at the end of each term
NHS guidance on common childhood illnesses available on our website
Termly consultations and end-of-year reports include attendance and punctuality figures
We also carefully monitor attendance and will contact you if it drops below 95%. Where necessary, we will invite you in to discuss how we can work together to improve it. If attendance issues continue, or if unauthorised absences (such as holidays during term time) occur, this may lead to a penalty notice or referral to the Education Welfare Officer, which can result in prosecution.
Thank you for helping us give every child the best chance to thrive—starting with being here, on time, every day!
Attendance is your legal responsibility.
Only schools can authorise absence.
How can you support good attendance?
How can you support good attendance?
Being at school is a very important part of any child’s life. It enables them to learn, to make friends, to gain important knowledge, and to develop a variety of skills which will prepare them for adult life.
As parents/carers it is your legal responsibility to make sure that your child makes the most of this opportunity by attending school regularly.
Please do not take your child out of school for a holiday.
Please do not make non-urgent medical appointments during the school day.
Report your child's absence on the "Studybugs App"
Alternatively, please email ot telephone the school before 9 am on each day of absence.
Make sure we have your up-to-date contact details. We will ring you if we have not had notice of the absence.
Please visit https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/ for guidance on illness.
What should I do if my child is absent?
By law, schools must record absences and the reasons given. You are therefore requested to contact school immediately about your child’s absence.
You can download the handy app "Studybugs" on the Play Store or App Store for free. This app allows you to report your children's absences in seconds.
Studybugs guides you with official guidance from the UK Health Security Agency, based on the symptoms you enter.
Alternatively please email ot telephone the school before 9am on each day of absence.
If you need support and advice about attendance or punctuality issues, please contact the school and ask to speak to Mrs Sheridan, our Attendance Officer.
Tel: 01702 218961
Email: admin@barlingmagna.essex.sch.uk
How does punctuality affect children?
· When your child is late to school he/she misses the teacher’s instructions and the induction to the lesson.
· They may also feel embarrassed at having to enter the classroom late.
· They miss the settling down time which prepares the children for the day’s learning.
Minutes late per day across the school year = Days worth of learning lost in a year
5 mins = 3.4 days
10 mins = 6.9 days
15 mins = 10.3 days
20 mins = 13.8 days
30 mins = 20.7 days
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