Attendance / Absence Reporting

Trinant Primary School is committed to providing a full and efficient education to all pupils and embraces the concept of equal opportunities for all.

We will provide an environment where all pupils feel valued and welcomed and are committed to the fundamental principle that early intervention and partnership working is crucial in ensuring the attendance, protection, and well-being of all children and young people.

For a pupil to reach their full educational achievement a high level of school attendance is essential. We will consistently work towards a goal of 100% attendance for all pupils. Every opportunity will be used to convey to pupils and their parents or carers the importance of regular and punctual attendance. Our current attendance target for 2024-2025 is 95%.

Attendance Calls - Reminder

If your child is not able to attend school for a genuine reason you are required to phone the school on 01495 214357 by 9.15 am and inform us as to why your child will be absent on the first day of absence and every subsequent day that they are absent. Please ensure you choose option 1 which is our dedicated absence line stating clearly your child's name, class, and reason for absence.

If the school is not contacted, a member of staff will contact you by phone to enquire about the reason for absence and to assist in encouraging regular, consistent student attendance.  To help us with this it is therefore vital that all pupils’ contact details are kept up to date.

Leave of absence/holidays in term time

Parents and carers do not have the automatic right to withdraw their children from school for an annual holiday and will be reminded of the effect that absence can have on a pupil’s potential achievement.

The school will consider any application for leave of absence and will only agree to authorise the absence in exceptional circumstances where attendance is >95%; parents and carers must apply in advance for permission for their child to have the leave of absence.

Examples of exceptional circumstances include:=

• A parent working abroad for a fixed, medium-term period;

• The family are returning to their country of origin;

• Parent returning from an active tour of duty.                                         

Parents and carers are advised that a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) may be issued by the LA when permission for a holiday or leave of absence has not been authorised by the school and exceeds 10 sessions. The Local Authorities Local Code of Conduct has more information on this.

When your child can miss school

You can only allow your child to miss school if either:

• they are too unwell to attend

• you have advance permission from the school

Extra support is available if your child is unable to attend school for long periods because of a health problem. Please contact the school office to make an appointment to discuss this further.

School procedures

Any pupil who is absent from school during the morning or afternoon registration period will have their absence recorded as being authorized, unauthorised, or as an approved educational activity (attendance out of school). Only the Head Teacher or a member of staff acting on their behalf can authorise absence.

If there is no known reason for the absence at registration, then the absence will be recorded in the first instance as unexplained (code N) and promptly followed up by the school, as part of its early intervention and safeguarding strategies.

Lateness

Morning registration will take place at the start of school at 9:00am. The registers will remain open for a maximum of 30 minutes, in accordance with Welsh Government. Any pupil arriving after this time will be marked as having an unauthorised absence (code U) unless there is an acceptable explanation i.e. school transport was delayed. In cases for example, where the absence at registration was for attending an early morning medical appointment, the appropriate authorised absence code will be entered.

Pupils arriving after the start of school at 9 am but before the end of the registration period will be coded as late (L).

Afternoon registration will be at 1:00 pm and any pupil arriving after this time will be marked as having an unauthorised absence (code U) unless there is an acceptable explanation.

Pupils arriving after the start of the afternoon registration period will be coded as late.

Parents and carers are reminded that the LA may issue an FPN for persistent lateness after the close of the register in accordance with the Local Code of Conduct, if in excess of 10 sessions.