Absences

PROCEDURES

If your child is going to be off school If possible contact the bus mobile number which was provided to you at the start of the year to alert them that you will not need a pick up. You must also telephone the school office between 8.30 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. on the first day of their absence. It would be useful if you could indicate to the office when you expect your child to return to school. If they should return earlier or later than this date please telephone the school to keep our records up to date. The school office will pass a message onto your child’s teacher who will record the absence. If we have had no information about your child by 9.30 a.m. the school office will contact you.

For this reason, please ensure that your contact details are up to date. If no contact can be made with parents or carers/emergency contacts, the attendance officer will be asked to visit the pupil’s home.

Call on 0141 577 4100

POLICY

Section 30 of the 1980 Education Act lays a duty on every parent of a child of ‘school age’ to ensure that their child attends school regularly. Attendance must be recorded twice a day, morning and afternoon. Regulation 7 of the Education (School and Placing Information) (Scotland) Amendment, Etc. Regulations 1993 Act requires each child’s absence from school to be recorded in the school register as authorised or unauthorised (as defined by the Scottish Executive).

The attendance of all pupils is monitored weekly by the head teacher.

Where attendance drops below 95% or there is a pattern of absences the head teacher will contact parents to discuss this further and offer support. The Education Authority has the power to write to, interview or refer pupils to the Children’s Reporter, if necessary.

If you indicate a lengthy absence due to illness, you may want to ask that any work missed be sent home or prepared for collection. Class teachers will be only too happy to give some work for you to do with your child at home. In the case of a prolonged illness please contact the head teacher who will discuss further supports that may be available for your child.

If your child has an appointment during the school day please write within the child’s diary or call the school office giving details of the time of the appointment and when the parent/ other nominated adult will collect them from school.

Depending on the type of appointment the absence may be recorded as authorised or unauthorised. All children should be collected from the main office by an adult; we are unable to allow older siblings or any relation under the age of 16 to collect a child from school. In order to ensure the safety of our children we cannot allow adults to collect children unless we have had prior permission from the parent/carer.

Every effort should be made to avoid family holidays during term time as this both disrupts the child’s education and reduces learning time. Parents/guardians should inform the school by letter of the dates before going on holiday. Absences will be classified as authorised only in exceptional circumstances. Where the head teacher’s prior agreement has not been sought; the absence will automatically be classed as unauthorised.