Attendance
Importance of Attendance
Regular attendance at school ensures that children get the best possible start in life. Good attendance supports learning, the development of social skills and friendships, as well as building good habits that are essential for adult life. School education lays the vital foundations of a child’s life. Research clearly demonstrates the link between regular attendance and educational progress and attainment. Parents/carers and the school team should work in partnership in making education a success and in ensuring that all children have full and equal access to all that the school has to offer.
We understand that there are times when children will need to be absent from school for a number of reasons. This could include:
Sickness or ill health.
Medical or dental appointments which fall during school hours.
Religious or cultural observances.
Family emergencies.
Bereavement purposes.
We ask that all parents/carers report any absences via telephone by 9am. Any parent/carer who has not reported their child as absent will be contacted by the school via telephone. Failure to provide reasoning for your child’s absence may result in your child receiving an unauthorised absence and could lead to penalty notices being imposed on you.
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, please see the link below to help you decide.
How we manage lateness:
The school day starts at 8:45am and we expect children to be in class by 8.55am. A child will receive a late mark if they are not in by that time. A member of the school staff will be on duty at each of the entry doors to monitor lateness and make a note of pupils that arrive late.
At 9am the registers will be closed. In accordance with the Regulations, if a child arrives after that time they will receive a mark that shows them to be on site, but this will not count as a present mark and it will mean they have an unauthorised absence. This may mean that the parents could face the possibility of a Penalty Notice if the problem persists.